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This  BOOK  may  be  kept  out  TWO  WEEKS 
ONLY,  and  is  subject  to  a  fine  of  FIVE 
CENTS  a  day  thereafter.  It  was  taken  out 
on  the  day  indicated  below: 


J^^May'S? 


TO  MY  FRIENDS  THE  COLLEGE  BOYS 

AND 

THEIR  FATHERS. 


CONTENTS* 


CHAPTER  I.                          PAGE. 
A  Pen  Picture  of  the  Fabian  Family i 

CHAPTER  II. 
Alicia's  Audacity  and  Its  Reward ll 

CHAPTER  III. 
Off  for  the  Mountains 21 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Some  Incidents  of  the  Trip 30 

CHAPTER  V. 
Friends  in  Need 41 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Off  for  College 52 

CHAPTER  VII. 
Shadows  Cast  Before 62 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
A  Rift  in  the  Clouds 72» 

CHAPTER  IX. 
A  Crisis 81 

CHAPTER  X, 
The  First  Mistake 91 


ti  Contents. 

CHAPTER  XI.  PAGE 

Consequences  loi 

CHAPTER  XII. 
Daddy  Ben's  Practical  Sympathj'^ iii 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
Ralph's  Struggles 120 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
Another  Mistake 128 

CHAPTER  XV. 
A  Refuge  in  the  Mountains 138 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
The  Mountain  Missionary's  Work 148 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
The  Conversion  of  Mr.  Fabian 158 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
At  Eventide — Light 167 


'Earth  hears  no  halsam  for  mistakes. 

Men  crown  the  knave  and  scourge  the  tool 

That  did  their  will;  hut  thou,  0  Lord, 
Be  merciful  to  me,  a  fool." 

—From    "The    Fool's    Prayer,"    by    Edward 
Rowland  Sill. 


RALPH  FABIAN'S  MISTAKES 


CHAPTER  I. 

A   PEN  PICTURE  OF   THE  FABIAN  FAMILY. 

In  the  suburbs  of  one  of  the  prettiest  old 
towns  in  the  South  was  Elnihiirst,  the  home  of 
Kalph  Fabian.  It  was  set  l)ack  on  a  lawn  that 
sloped  gradually  to  the  road  and  was  built  in  a 
stvle  almost  universal  in  that  part  of  the  coun- 
try forty  years  ago,  with  a  broad  piazza,  which 
was  supported  by  handsome  columns,  and 
which  extended  across  the  front  of  the  house 
and  on  the  south  side.  The  rooms  were  spa- 
cious and  the  ceilings  high,  the  windows  large 
and  many-paned,  giving  a  cheerful  aspect  to 
the  home. 

Standing  wide  open  most  of  the  time,  they 
seemed  to  be  continually  oifering  the  generous 
hospitality  for  which  the  Fabian  family  had 
long  been  noted. 

The  family  consisted  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fa- 
bian, two  daughters,  one  of  whom  was  married 
and  living  in  another  state,  and  Ralph,  who 


3  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

bore  his  father's  name,  and  whose  career  we  are 
to  follow  in  this  story.  The  first  born  son  had 
died  in  his  early  childhood, 

Ralph  Fabian,  St.,  was  not  a  man  of  wealth 
as  wealth  is  estimated  nowadays,  but  he  had 
ample  means  to  satisfy  the  simple  demands  of 
a  family  trained  to  a  conscientious  valuation  of 
money. 

He  w^as  a  man  of  really  deep  affections.  He 
loved  his  wife,  his  children,  his  home,  his 
church,  loyally,  but — alas,  that  a  qualifying 
''but"  is  necessary — but  he  did  not  realize  how 
necessary  it  is  to  give  expression  to  love.  He 
was  kind,  oh,  yes ;  he  gave  his  children,  as  he 
gave  his  wife,  every  material  proof  of  his  affec- 
tion that  was  consistent  with  what  he  believed 
was  right,  and  he  not  only  praised  his  wife  to 
others,  but  even  occasionally  suggested  to  her 
that  she  had  been  all  that  he  could  have  wished 
in  the  way  of  a  wife ! 

As  to  his  children,  he  practiced  what  he 
firmly  believed,  namely,  that  children  should, 
above  all  things,  respect  their  parents ;  that  too 
much  praise  was  likely  to  interfere  with  that 
respect. 

"Familiarity  breeds  contempt,"  Avas  a  favor- 
ite quotation  of  his  when  his  wife  gently  sug- 
gested that  he  might  pet  them  more.  Perhaps, 
too,  in  his  heart  he  was  afraid  of  loving  his 
children  too  well.     At  any  rate,  while  not  an 


Ealph  Fabian's  Mistakes  3 

austere  man,  Mr.  Fabian  did  not  manifest  his 
ajOFection  in  his  home. 

When  he  talked  of  anjthinj^  besides  the  triv- 
ial events  and  concerns  of  the  family,  he  gen- 
erally sjjoke  with  vehemence  as  to  business  in- 
tegrity, and  the  observance  of  the  Sabbath,  on 
both  of  which  subjects  he  held  very  positive 
opinions. 

Mrs.  Fabian  was  a  pretty  woman  still,  with 
a  pleading,  reverent  expression  in  her  soft, 
brown  eyes.  Possessed  of  a  certain  mild  sense 
of  humor,  she  was  disposed  to  be  cheerful  and 
social,  but  above  everything  else,  including  her 
children,  she  adored  her  husband,  and  he  was 
not  fond  of  what  is  known  as  society. 

Alicia,  the  one  daughter  at  home,  was  an 
attractive  young  woman  now  in  her  nineteenth 
year,  and  happily  for  her,  possessed  more  of  her 
mother's  impulsiveness  than  of  her  father's  re- 
serve, and  she  possessed  also  the  audacity  be- 
longing to  youth  and  health,  consequently  she 
often  said  things  to  her  father,  and  caressed 
him,  too,  as  the  others  would  have  feared  to  do, 
80  that  if  Mr.  Fabian  was  ever  caught  in  any 
exhibition  of  affection,  it  was  Alicia  who  was 
the  recipient. 

One  word  more  as  to  the  family.  Among 
the  servants  who  clung  to  "Marse  Ealph"  with 
the  old-time  devotion,  Daddy  Ben  and  Mauni 
'Liza  were  still  with  them.  They  had  occupied 
respectively   the   positions  of  valet  and   maid 


6  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

a  fortnight  before  our  boy  goes  to  college  ?  I 
think  so,  I'm  sure,  and  I  verily  believe  that  I 
voice  the  sentiments  of  the  whole  family."  She 
took  her  father's  hand  as  she  finished,  and 
rubbed  it  against  her  soft  cheek  in  a  caressing 
way  that  Mr.  Fabian  rarely  could  resist. 

''What's  that?"  he  asked,  in  the  affected  tone 
of  gruffness  with  w'hich  he  generally  greeted 
Alicia's  audacity.  "Go  away  from  the  comforts 
and  the  coolness  of  home,  to  be  shut  up  in  small, 
stuffy  rooms,  and  fed  on  tough,  cold  meats  and 
sour  bread  and  to  sleep  on  hard  beds  ?  ]^onsense  ! 
Little  girl,  don't  you  catch  the  restless  spirit  of 
the  age." 

Mr.  Fabian  put  his  hands  on  either  side  of 
her  face,  and  raising  it,  looked  down  into  her 
eyes  with  a  twinkle  in  his  that  was  not  consistent 
with  his  words. 

Alicia  saw  her  advantage. 

"But,  papa,  there  are  compensations  for  sur- 
rendered comforts.  The  difference  in  tempera- 
ture you  must  acknowledge,  and  the  very  dis- 
comforts, only  serve  to  make  home  seem  nicer 
when  we  return ;  and  then  there  are  the  pleas- 
ant people  one  always  meets — the  new  friends 
made — Oh,  let's  go,  papa,  dear!" 

Her  mother  looked  up  just  a  little  uneasily 
from  her  rocker  in  the  shady  corner  of  the 
piazza.  She  would  scarcely  have  ventured  to  be 
so  persistent  with  her  husband — she  lacked  Ali- 
cia's audacity. 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  7 

Mr.  Fabian  turned  to  her  and  said :  ''What  do 
you  say,  Marie  ?  Are  you  discontented  with  the 
comforts  of  old  Ehnhurst,  too  ?" 

Mrs.  Fabian  smiled  as  she  replied :  "'JSTo,  not 
discontented,  papa,  but  not  unwilling  to  grant 
our  daughter's  request  if  you  say  so.  She  has 
been  at  home  without  a  break  since  Christmas, 
excepting  the  week  she  spent  with  Lubella,  and 
I  do  not  know  another  girl  in  her  set  who  can 
say  the  same." 

If  Alicia  w^as  afraid  of  her  father  she  never 
allowed  him  to  suspect  it,  and  this  was  another 
proof  of  her  diplomacy,  for  however  much  Mr. 
Fabian  desired  to  be  reverenced  he  was  too  good 
a  man  to  enjoy  being  feared. 

He  smiled  into  her  upturned  face,  fanning 
himself  with  a  huge  palm  leaf  fan,  as  he  said : 

"Ah,  you  ought  to  have  been  a  boy,  you  would 
make  a  good  lawyer,  my  daughter.  And,  pray, 
what  has  Ralph  to  say  about  it?  He  is  sup- 
posed to  be  busy  getting  coached  for  his  exami- 
nation, early  in  September!" 

*'0h,  I  have  never  asked  Ral.  The  fact  is  that 
the  heat  of  the  last  few  days  hatched  out  this 
plan  in  my  brain,  and  this  is  the  first  time  that 
it  has  seen  daylight.  But  you  know,  papa, 
Ralph  will  have  finished  his  study  with  Profes- 
sor Prentiss  to-morrow  evening,  and  I'm  sure 
that  he  will  be  perfectly  willing  to  get  cooled 
off  before  he  goes  through  that  dreadful  ex- 
amination.    Just  think  of  sitting  on  a  mossy 


8  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

rock,  overhung  bj  cool  hemlock  and  rhododen- 
dron boughs,  by  the  side  of  one  of  those  clear 
mountain  pools,  and  fishing  for  trout  on  such 
an  afternoon  as  this,  with  business  cares  and 
heat  and  sultriness  all  left  behind !" 

Alicia  waxed  more  eloquent  as  she  noted  the 
impression  her  words  were  making,  and  she  was 
growing  more  earnest  in  her  desire  for  the  trip 
the  longer  she  talked  of  it. 

Now  if  Mr.  Fabian  had  a  taste  for  anvthing 
that  took  him  away  from  home  it  was  for  fish- 
ing— ilnd  Alicia  knew  it ! 

Her  father  laughed  as  she  finished  her  appeal, 
and  said : 

^'Shall  M'e  leave  to-morrow,  Missy  ?" 

Alicia's  face  flushed  when  she  heard  her 
father's  only  pet  name  for  her.  It  was  the 
name  she  was  known  by  to  the  old  servants,  and 
from  his  lips  carried  a  subtle  surrender  to  her 
request. 

"i^o,  no,  dear  papa,  but  let's  be  ready  to  go 
next  week.  Here's  Ral  coming  now,"  she  added, 
as  she  glanced  towards  the  gate,  and  saw  her 
brother  dragging  himself  along  and  mopping  his 
face  as  he  came  slowly  up  the  winding  driveway. 
As  he  drew  near  the  house  he  saw  that  something 
of  interest  was  being  discussed  suflBcient  to  ex- 
cite Alicia,  despite  the  intense  heat,  and  he 
would  probably  have  interrogated  his  sister  from 
half-way  across  the  lawn  if  his  father  had  not 
been  there,  but  Ralph  Fabian  was  rarely  at  his 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  9 

ease  in  his  father's  presence ;  so  that  he  only 
seated  himself  on  the  upper  step,  throwing  down 
his  books  and  umbrella  and  fanning  with  his 
broad-brimmed  hat. 

Mrs.  Fabian,  whose  heart  was  always  reach- 
ina:  out  for  the  affection  of  her  husband  and 
ehildi*en, — that  is,  for  the  expression  of  it;  she 
never  doubted  that  they  loved  her, — rose  and, 
corning  to  his  side,  stooped  and  pushed  the  damp 
hair  back  from  his  brow,  listening  and  hoping 
for  some  word  of  endearment  from  her  boy,  but, 
what  with  the  heat,  and  hunger,  and  his  father's 
presence,  Ralph  made  no  response,  and  his 
mother  turned  away  with  that  dull  throb  of  the 
heart  kno^Ti  only  to  those  who  are  thirsty  for 
the  stimulant  of  expressed  love. 

Alicia  Fabian  was  a  tactful  girl.  She  went 
into  the  hall  and  brought  out  a  large  fan,  and 
pushing  a  low  wicker  rocker  towards  Ralph, 
said: 

"Sit  here  and  cool  off,  Ralph,  while  I  get  you 
a  drink  of  fresh  water.  By  the  time  I  come 
back  you  will  be  ready  for  it." 

Ralph  took  the  fan,  with  scarcely  a  smile,  and 
rose  and  stretched  himself  in  the  chair.  The 
bov  did  not  mean  to  be  discourteous;  he  loved 
his  mother  and  his  sister  deeply,  but,  poor  fel- 
low !  somewhere  back  in  his  ancestry  there  had 
been  somebody  who  had  introduced  that  most  un- 
desirable of  all  qualities — reticence — into  the 
Fabian  family,  and  said  ancestor  had  become 


10  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

the  packhorse  for  all  the  sins  of  omission  in  the 
family !  Whenever  any  one  was  deficient  in  that 
direction,  you  would  hear  the  complacent  excuse 
offered:  "Oh,  that's  the  Fabian  reticence,  you 
know!" 


Kalph  Fabian's  Mistakes  11 


CHAPTER  II. 
Alicia's  audacity  and  its  eeward. 

After  having  provided  her  father  with  the 
morning  paper  and  the  last  Review,  Alicia 
seated  herself  beside  her  brother,  nothing 
daunted  bj  his  apparent  indisposition  to  talk. 

''How's  that  Latin  Exercise  coming  on  ?  and 
how  about  your  Greek  ?  The  very  thought  of  a 
boy  being  expected  to  provide  ideas  of  any  kind 
on  any  subject  excepting  mountain  tops,  or  sea- 
breezes,  on  such  an  afternoon  as  this  dissolves 
my  s}Tnpathy  into  perspiration,  not  tears !" 

The  expression  of  Alicia's  face  was  so  comi- 
cally sympathetic  that  Ralph  responded  at  last 
with  a  smile — nay,  a  good  laugh,  and  he  patted 
his  sister's  hand,  for  he  loved  her,  oh,  how  he 
loved  her,  and  approved  of  her  too ! 

"Oh,  I'm  all  right  on  both,  I  think.  Prentiss 
really  complimented  me  to-day,"  he  answered. 

"He  only  did  his  duty!  One  needs  all  the 
encouragement  he  can  get  to  work  such  weather 
as  this,  and  if  I  did  not  cherish  the  most  bril- 
liant hopes  for  your  future,  and  dream  the  wild- 
est dreams  of  your  career,  I  would  never  have 


12  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

given  my  consent  to  this  August  coaching !"  Tlie 
air  with  which  Alicia  said  this  made  it  sound  so 
droll  to  both  of  them  that  there  was  a  merry 
burst  of  laughter,  and  another  of  Ralph's  moody 
spells  was  a  thing  of  the  past. 

Mr.  Fabian,  looking  over  the  top  of  his  paper 
at  the  sound  of  the  laughter,  smiled  at  them, 
and  there  came  a  softened  expression  into  his 
eyes.  He  was  very  proud  of  Alicia,  and  he 
wanted  to  be  proud  of  Ralph,  too,  but  he  was  so 
afraid  of  loving  the  boy  too  much !  How  many 
kinsmen  he  has  among  the  best  Christian  men  in 
this  Christian  land. 

''Come,  buddy  boy,"  said  Alicia,  catching 
hold  of  her  brother's  sleeve;  "you  are  rested 
now.  Come,  go  down  to  Mammy's  house;  I 
want  to  get  a  piece  of  lace  she  was  to  wash  for 


me." 


The  truth  was  that  Alicia's  mind  was  full  of 
the  hope  she  had  of  a  mountain  trip,  and  while 
she  had  been  audacious  enough  to  propose  it  to 
her  father,  she  had  too  much  tact  to  say  any- 
thing more  about  it  to  Ralph  in  his  presence. 

Slie  made  a  sign  which  he  quickly  interpreted 
and,  rising  slowly,  he  stretched  himself,  took  up 
his  hat,  and,  putting  his  arm  about  his  sister's 
waist,  they  went  down  the  steps  together,  fol- 
lowed by  their  father's  admiring  though  furtive 
glance. 

Mammy's  house  was  as  favorite  a  resort  for 
these  young  people  as  when  they  were  children, 


Ealpii  Fabian's  Mistakes  13 

although,  of  course,  thej  did  uot  spend  so  much 
time  there. 

Beyond  the  large  vegetable  garden,  and  built 
under  the  protecting  shade  of  two  giant  elms, 
that  had  strayed  from  the  grove,  as  if  for  tlie 
very  purpose  of  aiding  in  the  comfort  of  tJicee 
old  people,  the  cabin  of  Daddy  Ben  and  Maum 
Jane  was  a  cozy  and  tndy  comfortable  home  for 
them.  It  was  built  of  logs  and  filled  in  with 
mortar,  a  four-roomed  cottage  with  glazed  win- 
dows, and  a  porch  in  front,  and  a  piazza  across 
the  back  of  the  house,  and  altogether  wearing 
the  air  of  home — not  always  to  be  found  in  the 
habitations  of  the  negroes  to-day. 

Mr.  Fabian  would  have  had  a  framed  and 
weather-boarded  house  for  them,  but  Daddy  Ben 
was  stout  in  his  refusal. 

"'No,  Marse  Ralph,  no  suh,  I  t'ank  you !  I 
been  bawn  in  a  log-house,  I  growed  up  in  a  log- 
house,  I  marry  en'  brung  up  our  chillen  in  a 
log-house,  en',  please  de  Lawd,  I  gwine  die  in 
a  log-house.  I  likes  comfut  same  lak  udder 
folks,  but,  Marse  Ralph,  le'  me  tell  you!  Dia 
yere  freedom's  gwine  ter  be  a  mighty  dang'ous 
t'ing  fur  culled  folks,  seems  lak.  Dey's  a  gwine 
ter  git  mighty  'sumptions,  you  watch  'em!  I 
ain't  got  dese  yere  grey  hairs  fuh  nuttin',  no 
suh!  I  don'  want  nuttin'  ter  dam  up  de  good 
Lawd's  blessin'  f'um  me  en'  Jane,  no  suh  !  How 
kin  I  pray,  'Lead  us  not  into  tem'tation,'  den 
g'long  en'  let  you  gib  me  a  w'ite  folks'  house  ter 


14  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

lib  in  ?  'No,  sub ;  miicb  obleeged  all  de  same, 
but  dis  jer'  niggah  got  ter  fight  'nough  any  wars 
to  keep  humble  en'  ter  serbe  de  Lawd.  Jes'  bull' 
me  a  good  niggah  log  cabin  w'at  doan'  leak,  dat's 
all  we  need." 

^'You  are  very  foolish,  Ben,"  said  Mr.  Fa- 
bian, in  reply.  "Don't  you  want  glass  windows, 
either  ?" 

Daddy  Ben  bowed  his  head,  and  a  cloud 
passed  over  his  smiling  face  for  a  moment. 
There  was  evidently  a  conflict  going  on  in  the 
old  man's  mind.  Suddenly  his  face  lighted,  and 
he  said: 

"Well,  Marse  Ralph,  culled  folks  don'  gin'ally 
hab  glass  windows,  dat's  so,  but  it's  jes'  dis-a- 
way.  Me  en'  Jane's  a-gwine  doMm  hill  now,  en' 
seems  lak  we  don'  see  so  good  es  we  nsen'  ter 
dese  cloudy  days,  'specially  in  de  winter,  en' 
mebby  ef  you  sho'  you  kin'  do  it  convenient  wid 
out  too  much  trouble,  well,  me  en'  Jane  would 
suttenlv  bress  de  Lawd  ef  you  avus  ter  be  so 
good.""' 

While  this  dialogue  was  going  on,  Maum  Jane 
was  standing  inside  of  the  doorway  listening, 
and  the  old  woman  was  very  uncomfortable  until 
she  heard  her  husband  give  his  consent  to  have 
glass  windows. 

She  was  not  reconstructed  in  many  respects. 
She  still  called  herself  proudly  by  the  Fabian 
name,  and  asserted  that  she  belong-ed  to  the  fam- 
ily, but  there  were  two  aspirations  deeply  im- 


Ralph  FABiivN's  Mistakes  15 

planted  in  her  heart — one  was  to  ovm  a  black 
silk  dress  and  the  other  was  to  have  glass  win- 
dows with  muslin  curtains.  To  her  mind  these 
were  pre-eminently  the  marks  of  "quality." 

She  muttered  to  herself,  as  she  hung  her 
clothes,  after  Mr.  Fabian  had  left : 

"Dat  fool  niggah,  he  ain't  got  right  good 
eb'ryday  sense — 'ee  ain't !  Marse  Ralph  want 
ter  mek  we  uns  comfor'ble  en'  'spectable  in  we 
ol'  age,  en'  yere  come  Ben  talkin'  'bout  niggahs 
gittin'  too  'sumptions  ef  dey  libs  comfor'ble  !" 

But  for  all  her  contempt  of  Ben's  lack  of 
sense,  she  kept  it  to  herself.  Hers  was  one 
house  w^here  the  man  was  *'the  boss" ! 

But  let  us  return  to  Alicia  and  Ralph.  They 
sauntered  around  the  house  towards  a  well-worn 
path  that  led  beside  tlie  garden  fence  and  on 
down  to  Mammie's  house. 

As  soon  as  they  were  out  of  hearing  of  their 
father,  Alicia  said: 

"Oh,  Ilal,  I  really  believe  we  are  going  to 
have  a  trip  somewhere  next  week!  I  begged 
papa,  and  he  called  me  'Missy,'  and  petted  me, 
and  joked  in  that  rare,  delightful  way  he  has 
when  I  have  conquered  him !" 

"Oh,  you  conceited  creature !"  exclaimed 
Ralph;  "but  how  ever  did  you  begin?  I 
wouldn't  dare  to  ask  papa  a  favor,  excepting 
through  mamma,  or  maybe  you !" 

"Well,  my  dear,  I  just  went  audaciously 
fthead  and  did  it,  that  is  howl     This  weather 


16  Ralph  Fabix\.n's  [Mistakes 

makes  people  desperate,  and,  besides,  when  we 
are  sure  people  love  us,  behind  all  their  reserve ; 
when  we  know  it  is  in  their  power  to  grant 
what  we  Avant,  why,  courage  is  not  lacking.  I 
do  wish,  my  dear,  tliat  you  would  try  this  way 
with  papa.  I  believe  that  it  would  please  him, 
and  draw  you  nearer  together." 

"No,  I  thank  you.  It  takes  a  pretty  auda- 
cious girl  to  do  that." 

"Which  word  do  you  mean  to  emphasize,  and 
where  is  your  comma  ?  It  depends  on  your  an- 
swer whether  I  feel  complimented  or  not!" 

"Take  it  just  the  way  it  pleases  you,"  was  the 
laughing  reply;  then  he  asked: 

"But  where  did  you  ask  him  to  take  us  ?" 

"Where  would  you  rather  go  ?  That  is  the 
question  w^hich  I  want  answered  this  very  min- 
ute!" was  the  eager  reply. 

"I  asked  papa  if  he  did  not  think  it  would  be 
lovely  for  the  whole  Fabian  family  to  hie  to  the 
mountains  or  the  sea-shore  before  you  left  for 
college." 

Ralph  laughed  heartily.  He  was  thinking  of 
Alicia's  audacity.  In  a  moment  he  said :  "You 
know,  Allie,  I  share  your  love  for  the  moun- 
ts i  us.  jNIy  choice  would  be  to  go  there.  But 
what  did  mamma  say?" 

"Oh,  she  did  not  commit  herself.  Don't  vou 
know  dear  mamma  well  enough  to  know  that 
wherever  the  rest  of  us  want  to  go  is  just  the 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  17 

place  for  her  ?  She  is  the  most  self-effaced, 
agreeable  person  I  ever  knew." 

Here  they  both  laughed,  for  both  knew  that 
Alicia  really  meant  acquiescent,  though  she  cer- 
tainly believed  licr  mother  to  be  charming  every 
way. 

They  had  stopped  for  a  few  moments,  not 
far  from  their  mother's  bedroom  window,  but 
now  they  hurried  on. 

"We  will  want  to  know  what  Maum  Jane 
and  Uncle  Ben  say,  Ral." 

"Yes,  and  they  Avill  not  disappoint  you;  they 
always  have  something  to  say  about  every  tiling 
that  concerns  us." 

Maum  Jane  had  seen  them  coming — indeed, 
she  was  looking  for  them,  for  it  was  a  rare 
thing  for  both  of  them  to  miss  a  day  in  their  vis- 
its to  the  cabin. 

She  had  set  two  of  her  best  chairs  on  the 
porch,  and  was  standing  in  the  doorway  fan- 
ning herself  vigorously  with  a  huge  palm  leaf 
fan. 

"Yer  come  dem  bressed  chillen !  You  must 
ha'  mos'  melted  to-djiy.  s^-^fiv.  oc/^in'  to><  f^— -i 
en'  w^alkin'  at  dat.  Marse  Ralph  he  mean  well, 
but  I  'clare  he's  es  'fraid  o'  sp«aiiU  ^uu  ciii^^v^.i 
es  I  is  ob  touchln'  p'ison  oak !  Sit  yeh,  missy, 
en',  sonny,  you  set  yere." 

"No,  mauma,  you  take  the  big  rocker.  Didn't 
we  give  it  to  you  to  sit  in  yourself  ?" 

The  old  woman  stiffened  up  and  pointed  to 


18  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

the  chair  just  as  she  would  have  done  when 
they  were  little  children. 

''Yon'se  a-gwine  to  sit  right  dere,  sonnv.  You 
forgit  you  ain't  no  baby  now,  you'se  young  Mr. 
Fabian  en'  a-gittin'  ready  full  colledge." 

Ralph  shrugged  his  shoulders,  and  laughed, — 
she  made  him  mind  even  if  he  was  ''young  Mr. 
Fabian,  an'  gittin'  ready  fuh  eollidge/' 

"Maumy,  what  do  you  think  ?  I  asked  papa 
just  noAv  to  take  us  off  for  a  trip  somewhere  be- 
fore Ral  goes  to  college." 

"Well,  I  s'pose  lie's  gwine  to  take  you  ?  He's 
got  de  money  en'  de  time  en'  you  alls  want  ter 
go,  en'  fuh  dem  w'at  t'iiiks  it  pays  ter  go  w'ere 
dat  awful  ol'  ocean  look  like  'e  gwine  ter  swaller 
you  right  away,  er  ter  go  up  dem  a\vful  moun- 
tains w'ere  it  look  like  eb'ry  minit  you  gwine 
tu'n  ober  en'  ober  en'  go  down  fureber — w'y,  let 
dem  folks  go.  Es  fuh  me, — bress  de  Lawd, — I 
ain't  got  no  call  fuh  go!  I  wouldn't  tu'n  my 
back  on  my  good  home  fuh  no  onsartainty  like 
dat — but,  honey,  T  ain'  makin'  no  deflexions  on 
you.  Wat  my  missy  want  ter  do's  all  right  fuh 
her.  'Sides  dat  you  got  ter  stay  dress  up  w'en 
you  goin'  'roun'  'mongst  strangers — 'cause  you 
boun'  ter  let  'em  see  how  'spectable  you  is." 

The  young  people  lauglied  heartily  here,  for 
Maumer  Jane  had  no  superfl.nous  garments  on, 
and  lier  face  shone  in  the  evening  light  like  pol- 
ished leather \ 

"You'  mamma  willin'  V' 


Ealph  Fabian's  Mistakes  19 

"Oh,  yes,  of  course !  Mamma  is  always  will- 
ing to  do  what  we  propose." 

'"Well,  dat's  de  muddah,  honey.  Dere  ain' 
no  right-minded  woman  libbin'  dat  don'  want 
ter  please  her  chillen,  but  it  takes  de  Lawd's 
gif  ob  sense  to  know  w'en  ter  say  'no.'  Miss 
Marie  kin  do  dat,  too." 

"That  she  can,  eh,  Ral?"  asked  Alicia, 

"I  should  think  so!  I  ought  to  know,  ^.lau- 
ma.  You  remember  just  after  I  put  on  pants, 
when  she  told  me  I  mustn't  go  up  town  bare- 
footed, and  I  ran  off  one  day,  and  you  came 
after  me,  and  brought  me  home  yelling,  and 
mamma  made  you  put  a  dross  on  me,  and  I  had 
to  wear  it  for  two  days  ?  Papa  wanted  to 
thrash  me  and  be  done  with  it,  but  she  said: 
'No,  let  me  try  my  plan  first.'  It  worked  out, 
too,  didn't  it,  mammy?" 

They  all  laughed  together,  and  then,  as  Alicia 
rose  to  go,  she  put  her  hand  on  Mauma  Jane's 
arm,  and  said,  in  a  low  tone : 

"Mauma,  pray  that  papa  may  consent  to  take 
us;  we  all  need  a  change,  Eal  especially." 

"You'  ol'  mamma'll  be  sho'  to  do  dat.  De' 
ain't  nuttin'  wut  liabbin'  dat  ain't  wut  askin' 
de  Lawd  fuh.  You'  maumer  know  dat,  ef  she 
know  anyt'ing." 

Alicia's  eyes  filled;  Ralph  looked  off  with 
the  shadow  of  a  frown  on  his  face.  The  child- 
like simplicity  of  their  old  nurse's  faith  had 
not  left  the  same  impress  upon  his  mind  and 


20  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

heart  that  it  had  on  his  sisters, — alas,  that  it 
was  so!  He  didn't  love  what  he  called  "Mau- 
mer's  preaching."  This  faith  in  prayer  was 
all  very  well  for  old  people,  for  women,  even 
for  young  women,  but  young  men  did  not  need 
it.  Poor  bov !  if  only  he  could  have  dreamed 
of  the  need  he  would  have  in  tlie  years  to  come 
of  faith  in  a  Covenant  keeping  God,  he  would 
have  given  himself  no  rest  until,  like  these 
simple  souls,  he  had  learned  to  look  to  God  for 
everything ! 


Kalph  Fabian's  Mistakes  21 


CHAPTER  III. 

OFF  FOR  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

At  breakfast  table  the  next  morning  Mr,  Fa- 
bian said  to  Alicia  as  she  stooped  to  give  him 
his  good  morning  kiss: 

"And  so,  my  danghter,  you  think  that  the 
Fabian  family  need  a  trip  somewhere  before 
Ralph  goes  off  to  college  ?" 

"Oh,  papa !"  exclaimed  Alicia,  clapping  her 
hands  and  bestowing  an  extra  kiss ;  "you  are 
going  to  take  us  somewhere,  you  dear,  good 
father !     Where,  papa,  and  when  ?" 

"Not  so  fast,  Missy,  not  so  fast!  One  ques- 
tion at  a  time,  if  you  please  !" 

!Mr.  Fabian  held  up  his  hands,  palms  out- 
ward, as  if  to  ward  off  the  questions,  then  said : 

"Where  do  you  want  to  go?  I  think  you 
are  entitled  to  the  first  choice,  as  you  were  first 
to  propose  the  trip." 

With  a  pretty  deference  Alicia  turned  to  her 
mother : 

"Where  would  you  like  best  to  go.  Mamma. 
You  must  always  have  first  choice." 

Both  father  and  mother  were  pleased  by  this 


22  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

appeal,  though  Mrs.  Fabian  was  always  non- 
committal when  her  children's  pleasure  was  con- 
cerned. It  was  just  as  natural  to  her  to  yield 
to  their  preferences  as  it  is — to  you,  dear 
mother-reader !  It  is  a  way  most  mothers  have, 
you  know. 

"Oh,  I  can  be  happy  anywhere  when  you  are 
all  with  me,"  she  replied. 

"Yes,  but  somebody  must  choose,  -or  at  least 
express  a  preference,  for  us  to  start  with. 

Mrs,  Fabian  said  quickly: 

"Then  I  think  it  would  be  lovely  to  go  to  the 
Korth  Carolina  mountains  for  the  next  two  or 
three  weeks."  She  did  not  think  it  necessary 
to  add  that  she  had  overheard  Alicia  and  Ralph 
declaring  their  preference  just  under  her  win- 
dow the  evening  before ! 

"Oh,  papa,  and  I  believe  you  love  the  moun- 
tains, too,  so  to  the  mountains  we  will  go,  for 
both  Ralph  and  I  prefer  them  to  the  sea-shore." 

"Well,  the  next  question  is.  When  can  we 
start?  Women  always  have  so  much  prepara- 
tion to  make !" 

"We  will  make  the  exception  that  proves 
your  rule  then.  We  are  sensible  people,  and 
know  how  cool  it  is  in  the  mountains,  and  will 
need  serge  walking  suits,  which  we  can  order 
to-day,  and  stout  shoes,  which  we  can  get  this 
afternoon  or  to-morrow.  Ralph  will  need 
knickerbockers,  as  all  the  sensible  young  men 


Ealpii  Fabian's  Mistakes  23 

find  wlio  are  going  for  the    fishing    and    the 
tramps  that  make  the  joy  of  the  tourist. 

''I'm  glad  that  ni}'  daughter  has  not  men- 
tioned the  need  of  elaborate  evening  dresses. 
Elaborate  dressing  is  out  of  place  in  the  young, 
and  in  older  women  is  too  suggestive  of  'stage 
make-ups'  and  too  suggestive  of  the  ravages  of 
time." 

Having  delivered  himself  of  this  preach- 
ment, which  did  not  fit,  Mr.  Fabian  turned  his 
attention  to  his  beefsteak  and  hominy,  and  left 
the  feminine  mind  to  deal  with  the  preparations 
for  their  trip. 

By  the  middle  of  the  next  week  the  family, 
with  the  addition  of  Alicia's  best  friend,  Mabel 
Greenaway,  were  en  route  for  one  of  the  most 
popular  of  the  mountain  resorts  of  North  Caro- 
lina at  that  time.  This  selection  of  Alicia's  was 
no  disloyalty  to  the  attractions  of  her  own  state, 
and  as  the  reason  which  she  gave  her  father 
throws  light  on  the  girl's  character,  we  give  it: 

"Do  let  us  get  away  from  our  immediate  sur- 
roundings, papa.  Let  us  get  into  touch  with 
people  who  live  and  think,  too,  differently.  I 
think  it  is  educating  and  broadens  our  views. 
Don't  you,  papa  ?" 

Mr.  Fabian's  reply  was  something  between 
a  grunt  and  a  throat-clearing.  He  probably 
differed  from  his  daughter,  and  Alicia,  who  was 
a  very  clever  young  woman,  knew  this.     She 


24  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

was  as  anxious  to  get  her  father  out  of  his  ruts 
as  she  was  to  widen  her  own  horizon. 

Mr.  Fabian  was  one  of  those  men  who  cling 
tenaciously  to  opinions  and  judgments,  either 
handed  down  from  remote  generations  or  formed 
for  himself  long  ago,  and  not  always  depesndent 
on  a  careful  study  of  the  matter.  This  did  not 
prevent  his  opinions  being  very  positive  or  his 
judgments  being  very  severe.  This  quality,  like 
his  "reticence,  he  claimed  was  an  inheritance, 
and  he  always  ended  by  saying,  with  a  proud 
uplift  of  his  chin: 

'That  is  the  way  we  Fabians  always  think," 
and  the  assertion  was  always  made  in  a  tone  of 
absolute  conviction,  wdiich  allowed  of  no  further 
discussion.  But  Mr.  Fabian  was  to  live  to  see 
the  day  when  he  called  his  narrowness  and  his 
stubbornness  by  the  right  names,  and  w^as  willing 
to  acknov.-ledge  that  he  had  erred  therein. 

The  route  which  they  had  selected  was  a 
roundabout  one  from  Hazleton,  but  Mr.  Fabian 
had  long  wished  to  travel  over  the  famous  West- 
ern N.  C.  Railroad,  from  Salisbury,  K  C,  to 
Morristown,  Tennessee,  and  he  found  his  party 
all  Avilling  to  take  that  route. 

There  was  but  little  to  attract  attention  out- 
side, as  they  steamed  swiftly  through  the  thickly 
settled  country  near  the  boundary  of  the  Caro- 
linas,  but  the  }0ung  people  were  easily  enter- 
tained, and  the  hours  sped  rapidly. 

"I  wdsh  we  could  have  laid  over  in  Charlotte 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  25 

for  a  few  hours,"  said  Mabel.  '^'You  rempmber 
tlioso  two  pleasant  men  ^ve  met  at  the  Grimbals 
last  fall — they  were  from  Charlotte,  were  they 
not,  Allie?" 

''Yes,  and  I  met  some  very  pleasant  girls  from 
there.  There  was  quite  a  party  of  Charlotte 
people  at  the  coast  last  summer." 

"Say,  Miss  ]\label,"  whispered  Ralph,  "that 
fellow  across  the  aisle  seems  to  be  struck  with 
you.     He  just  keeps  looking." 

"He  has  a  very  poor  way  of  expressing  his 
admiration,"  replied  Mabel  with  a  deepening 
flush  on  her  cheeks.  "I  can't  think  of  any- 
thing more  odious  than  staring  at  people  and  I 
am  sure  that  I  could  never  like  any  one  who 
began  an  acquaintance  in  that  way."  Her  blue 
e^-es  flashed  and  the  matter  was  not  improved, 
we  fear. 

Passing  through  the  thriving  city  of  Char- 
lotte, with  but  a  short  stop,  a  rapid  ride  brought 
them  to  Salisbury,  where  they  made  their  first 
change  of  cars.  After  a  good  deal  of  pushing 
and  rushing  they  found  themselves  at  last  under 
way,  and  prepared  for  the  enjoyment  before 
them.  The  conductor  had  promised  to  tell  them 
wlien  to  take  seats  in  the  observation  car.  It 
was  too  warm  and  too  sunny  now,  and  besides 
the  all-important  lunch  time  had  come,  and  Mrs. 
Fabian  was  beginning  to  unpack  the  lunch  so 
substantial  and  yet  so  dainty  in  all  its  appoint- 
ments, as  at  once  to  attract  attention. 


26  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

The  party  had  already  been  noticed  and  com- 
mented on.  They  were  unmistakably  above  tlie 
ordinary — people  with  well-bred  air  that  one 
discovers  so  qnickly  in  travelling, — sometimes 
conspicuous  by  its  absence,  and  by  no  means  in- 
variably found  W'ith  handsome  travelling  suits, 
by  the  way ! 

And  this  party  was  so  happy !  Mrs.  Fabian, 
chiefly  because  her  husband  had  turned  his  back 
on  his  office,  and  because  the  young  people  were 
so  happy ;  and  as  for  the  young  people, — ^well, 
what  a  network  of  reasons  for  being  happy, — 
was  wrapped  about  them  ! 

Ralph  had  forgotten  his  moods, — or,  all  but 
the  merriest  of  them,— forgotten  the  bug-bear  of 
entering  college  as  a  freshman  which  had  pur- 
sued him  by  day  and  night  since  his  school  had 
closed. 

Mr.  Fabian  was  happy,  too,  though  in  a  very 
quiet  and  controlled  way.  Perhaps  it  was  the 
result  of  his  absorption  in  business,  perhaps  a 
false  idea  that  a  Christian  man  should  not  be 
too  contented — something  lurked  in  his  heart 
that  kept  away  that  sunshiny  abandon  that 
ANTcathes  the  other  faces  in  smiles.  What  a  pity, 
for  there  is  surely  no  better  way  to  recommend 
the  religion  which  we  profess  than  by  allowing 
its  peace  and  its  joy  to  illumine  our  faces.  If  a 
man  be  a  living  epistle  of  God's  loving  kindness 
it  would  seem  better  to  read  it  in  lines  of  joy 
and  of  innocent  mirth,  than  even  in  words — at 


liALPir  Fabian's  Mistakes  27 

least  more  people  can  understand  our  message 
written  there. 

Bj  two  o'clock  they  were  conscious  that  their 
train,  like  some  long,  jointed  creature,  was 
crawling  steadily  upward,  puffing  as  it  went. 
\'istas  of  pale  blue  mountains  thirty  or  forty 
miles  away  gleamed  through  the  nearer  wooded 
hills. 

They  had  already  passed  Morganton,  wliere 
the  magnificent  buildings  of  the  State  Hospital 
for  the  Insane  shine  like  a  great  necklace  of  coral 
on  the  green  foothills. 

They  took  their  places  in  the  observation  car, 
— all  but  Mrs.  Fabian,  who  declared  that  "some- 
body must  stay  by  the  stuff,"  though  they  all 
knew  she  wished  to  avoid  seeing  the  high  tressles 
and  embankments,  of  which  she  had  heard. 

At  last  they  passed  "Round  Knob,"  and  w'ere 
about  to  enter  a  tunnel. 

With  a  long-drawn  breath  of  sheer  delight 
Alicia  Fabian  and  her  friend  rose  to  go  back  to 
their  seats  in  the  parlor  car  and  in  a  few  mo- 
ments more,  with  lamps  lit  and  windows  down, 
they  were  having  their  first  experience  in  a 
tunnel. 

It  was  a  beautiful  afternoon,  and  as  they 
emerged  into  the  sunlight  on  the  other  side  of 
the  Blue  Ridge,  with  the  beauty  of  near  hill- 
sides, fertile  fields,  and  the  gleam  of  water 
through  tl:e  fringes  of  willows,  and  dim  blue 
mountains  in  the  distance,  it  seemed  to  them 


28 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 


that  the  landscape  was  stretching  away  into  a 
beautiful  infinity! 

The  haze  of  an  August  day  softened  all  out- 
lines, and  as  the  train  dashed  dovm  with  a  rush 
and  a  roar  into  the  beautiful  valley  of  the 
Swannanoa,  even  Mrs.  Fabian  broke  into  an  ex- 
clamation of  delight. 

"This  is  fine,  indeed !  I'm  certainly  glad  that 
we  took  this  route." 

That  was  what  Mr.  Fabian  said.  "What  he 
was  thinking  was:  "All  thy  works  praise  thee, 
O  Lord !"  And  a  devout  sense  of  God's  power 
and  goodness  filled  his  heart." 

At  the  last  station  before  they  reached  Ashe- 
ville, — this  was  before  Biltmore  existed, — the 
train  was  delayed  some  minutes  and  while  they 
were  looking  around  for  something  to  while 
away  the  time  Mrs.  Fabian  said : 

"Girls,  look  at  that  boy's  face !  If  I  were  an 
artist  I  would  certainlv  sketch  him." 

The  little  fellow,  probably  about  nine,  had  a 
basket  of  peaches  to  sell.  He  was  neatly  though 
plainly  dressed,  and  his  large  gray  eyes,  his 
ruddy  complexion,  and  his  curly  brown  hair, 
crowned  with  a  large,  rough  straw  hat,  gave  him 
a  very  picturesque  air. 

"Let's  get  some  peaches,  papa,  and  hear  him 
talk!" 

So  far  the  child  had  just  stood  under  their 
window  with  a  look  of  pleading  in  his  fine  eyes 


Halph  Fabian's  Mistakes  29 

that  suggested  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds's  ^'Straw- 
berry  Girl." 

"What  do  you  ask  for  your  peaches,  little 
man  ?"  asked  Alicia.  The  flush  on  the  boy's 
cheeks  deepened. 

''Ten  cents  a  dozen,  but  oh  lady,  won't  you 
please  buy  'em  all  ?  I  want  a  Second  Reader  so 
bad,  an'  Granny  said  how  I  might  buy  it  ef  I 
sold  all  these  yer'  peaches.  There's  five  dozen 
heah,  en'  I've  got  ten  cents  at  home." 

The  tones  were  so  eager — and  after  he  began 
to  speak  he  gathered  courage,  and  looked  so 
pleadingly  from  one  to  another  that  involun- 
tarily every  hearer's  hand  sought  his  pocket, 
but,  alas,  none  of  the  gi'oup  had  the  change,  and 
when  Mr.  Fabian  was  appealed  to  he  put  his 
hand  into  his  pocket,  only  to  find  that  his  pock- 
etbook  was  gone! 


30  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 


CHAPTER    IV. 

SOME  INCIDENTS  OF  THE  TEIP. 

lie  rose  to  his  feet,  ran  his  hand  into  hh 
inside  vest  pocket,  then  looked  on  the  floor  and 
nnder  the  seat.  They  were  again  in  the  obser- 
vation ear,  and  soon  every  member  of  the  party 
was  assisting  in  the  search. 

"Ralph,  go  back  to  our  seats  in  the  parlor 
car  and  search  carefully.     I  may  have  dropped 

it  there."  . 

"Did  you  have  much  money  m  it,  papa? 

asked  Alicia  anxiously. 

"No,  nothing  higher  than  ten  dollars,  but 
our  tickets  were  there."  ^ 

^'Oh! Oh! — Oh!"  came  from  Mrs.  Fabian 

and  the  girls,  and  the  tones  were  so  full  of 
woe  that  Mr.   Fabian   smiled   in   spite  of  hi9 

annoyance. 

By  this  time  all  the  passengers  were  listening 
and 'interested,  excepting  one  young  man,  who 
seemed  to  be  absorbed  in  reading. 

"Does  it  mean  that  our  trip  must  be  spoiled  i 
asked  Alicia  in  a  sorrowful  tone. 

Just  as  she  asked  the  question  the  whistle 


Halph  Fabian's  Mistakes  31 

blew,  there  was  a  jar  and  the  train  began  to 
move  slowly  off. 

''Oh,  the  little  bov  and  his  peaches!''  cried 
Mabel. 

Alicia  had  a  silver  dollar  iu  her  hand,  and, 
leaning  out,  she  threw  it  to  him,  saying : 

"Buy  your  Second  Reader  and  keep  the 
change  'till  I  come  back." 

The  little  fellow's  face  beamed,  and  he  called 
out: 

"Take  the  peaches  to  her,  porter !"  And  the 
porter  snatched  the  basket  from  the  lower  step 
and  brought  them  in. 

In  the  meanwhile  Ralph  had  searched  vainly 
for  his  father's  w'allet,  and  the  news  of  the  loss 
was  spreading. 

The  conductor  came  up  and  advised  Mr. 
Fabian  to  telegraph  to  the  agent  at  home  and 
get  duplicate  tickets  addressed  to  him  at  Ashe- 
ville. 

"I  can  testify  that  I  have  torn  off  my  part 
of  the  tickets,  and  you  are  known  at  home,  I 
guess,  sir,"  he  added  with  a  pleasant  smile  that 
carried  a  subtle  flattery  with  it. 

"This  means  that  we  lay  over  in  Asheville 
for  at  least  a  day,"  said  Mr.  Fabian  in  a  tone 
of  annoyance. 

"Papa,  don't  you  remember  taking  it  out  of 
your  pocket  at  all  ?" 

"Only  when  the  conductor  called  for  our 
tickets  just  after  we  left  Salisbury.     Once  just 


32  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

before  we  left  liome  I  let  my  wallet  slip  past  my 
pocket  and  it  fell  to  the  fioor.  I  was  in  the 
office,  Ben  saw  it  and  picked  it  np.  I  mnst 
have  dropped  it  in  the  same  way, — but  who 
picked  it  up  ?" 

At  once  some  gentleman  suggested  that  the 
porter  be  called  and  interrogated.  lialph  Avent 
immediately  to  the  conductor  and  mentioned 
the  suggestion. 

"I've  always  found  him  strictly  honest.  I 
can't  believe  that  he  took  it,  but  1  will  call  him 
at  once." 

He  moved  awav  and  soon  returned  with  the 
jDorter.  The  fellow  was  evidently  innocent  and 
at  once  went  back  to  make  a  thorough  search 
for  it  in  the  coach. 

A  lady  who  had  been  lying,  apparently 
asleep,  rose  up  and  asked  what  the  matter  was  ? 

Her  face  paled  perceptibly  when  it  was  ex- 
plained to  her  that  a  gentleman  had  lost  his 
wallet  containing  the  tickets  of  his  party.  She 
immediately  laid  down  and  apparently  fell 
asleep  again. 

On  reachinc;  Aslieville  thev  were  driven  to  a 
hotel  and  Mr.  Fabian  went  immediately  to  the 
telegTaph  office  to  carry  oiit  the  conductor's  sug- 
gestion, and  returning  to  the  hotel  made  ar- 
rangements for  a  drive  to  points  of  interest  the 
next  day. 

They  had  been  in  their  rooms  but  a  little 
while,  when  there  was  a  knock  at  the  door,  and 


Ralph  Fabian's  ^Mistakes  33 

Mr.  Fabian  was  informed  that  a  lady  wished 
to  see  him  in  the  reception  room.  Somewhat 
surprised  he  went  do\^Ti  and  foimd  a  lady 
closely  veiled,  who  rose  and  asked  in  a  low  and 
tremulons  voice  if  this  was  Mr.  Ealph  Fabian 
of  Hazelton,  S.  C. 

"It  is,  madam,  can  I  do  anything  for  you  ?" 
Mr.  Fabian  asked  courteouslv. 

The  woman  was  trembling  perceptibly. 
"Yes,"  she  said  faintly,  "very  much;  but  close 
the  door  first,  if  you  please." 

She  was  trying  to  open  a  small  grip  that 
hung  on  her  arm,  with  hands  that  shook  nerv- 
ously. 

"Mr.  Fabian,"  she  asked  in  scarcely  more 
than  a  whisper,  "are  you  a  Christian?  Are 
you  a  father  ?" 

Bowing  his  head,  Mr.  Fabian  answered  rev- 
erently : 

"I  am,  madam."  And  he  was  more  than 
ever  curious  to  know  the  object  of  her  visit. 

She  burst  into  a  passion  of  tears,  and  after 
a  moment's  struggle  to  control  herself,  said : 

"You  lost  your  wallet  on  the  train  to-day, 
and  I  have  come  to  return  it  to  you  intact, — in- 
tact," she  repeated,  lifting  her  head  proudly. 
She  opened  her  gTip  as  she  spoke,  and  taking 
out  the  wallet  handed  it  to  the  astonished 
owner ! 

Mr.  Fabian  was  too  much  surprised  to  speak 
at  first,  but  with  a  glance  of  his  eye  he  took  in 


34  Ralph  FABIA^''s  Mistakes 

the  general  appearance  of  his  visitor.  She  waa 
elegantly  dressed,  her  voice  was  that  of  a  refined 
lady.  On  her  shapely  hands  were  elegant  jew- 
els. What  did  it  mean  ?  Her  emotion,  her  sin- 
gular question  ?  All  of  these  thoughts  flashed 
through  his  brain,  then  he  spoke: 

"I  am  certainly  indebted  to  you,  madam," 
he  said  as  he  took  the  Avallet  from  her  hand  with 
a  bow.  "It  was  fortunate  that  it  was  found  by 
a  lady,  and  very  kind  of  you  to  return  it  so 
promptly.     May  I  ask  where  you  found  it  ?" 

"In  my  son's  pocket,"  she  answered  in  a 
whisper,  broken  by  a  sob. 

Tears  of  profound  pity  rose  to  Mr.  Fabian's 
eyes,  and  he  told  his  wife  afterwards  that  he 
scarcely  ever  remembered  to  have  been  more 
touched  by  anything.  He  could  not  speak. 
What  could  he  say  ? 

She  sank  into  a  seat,  and  said: 

"Will  you  open  it  and  see  that  it  is  intact,  as 
I  said  ?  And  will  you  let  me  tell  you  a  sorrow- 
ful story?" 

Mr.  Fabian  saw  that  it  would  be  wise  to  ac- 
cede her  request,  and  he  opened  it  and  found 
the  tickets  and  money  just  as  they  were  when 
he  had  closed  the  pockctbook  on  the  train. 

"Certainly,  madam,"  he  said  kindly,  "I  shall 
be  interested  to  hear  what  you  have  to  say." 

"Five  vears  ago  niv  onlv  son  was  struck  on 
the  head  by  a  ball,  and  he  lay  unconscious  for 
several  days.    After  some  time  he  recovered  his 


Ralph  FABIA^''s  Mistakes  35 

health,  but  he  has  never  been  quite  right  racn- 
talljj  and  is  not  responsible  for  what  he  does, — • 
he  is  not!"  she  repeated  firmly.  '"T  am  taking 
him  now  to  a  sanitarium  for  treatment.  I  be- 
lieve that  jou  dropped  your  wallet  near  our 
seat  as  you  were  going  into  the  observation  car, 
that  he  picked  it  up  and  put  it  immediately  in 
his  pocket.  I  found  it  there  after  he  had  re- 
tired. I  always  search  his  pockets  after  he  is 
asleep,"  she  added  with  a  sob.  "And  now,  sir, 
I  will  detain  you  no  longer." 

From  away  down  in  Mr.  Fabian's  really  ten- 
der heart  there  welled  up  the  profoundest  pity 
for  this  unfortunate  mother,  and  for  her  son. 

''Madam,"  he  stammered,  "you  have  my 
deepest  syanpathy.  I  pray  God  to  comfort  you, 
and  to  send  your  poor  boy  relief.  Have  faith 
in  your  God.  Rest  assured  that  I  shall  respect 
your  confidence;  all  that  the  public  shall  know 
will  be  that  the  wallet  was  found  and  returned 
to  me  by  a  lady." 

And  Mr.  Fabian  kept  his  word.  Curiously 
enough,  he  never  even  knew  her  name,  nor  did 
he  ever  hear  of  her  again. 

As  he  went  slowly  back  to  his  room  he  found 
himself  saying :  "What  if  it  had  been  my  boy  ? 
It  was,  therefore,  with  a  more  than  ordinary 
gratitude  that  he  invoked  God's  blessing  on 
his  boy  that  night. 

Mrs.  Fabian  was  waiting  with  no  littlei  curi- 
osity to  know  who  the  late  visitor  was,  and  her 


36  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

errand,  and  her  mother  heart  was  touched  by 
the  pitiful  story,  and  she  agreed  with  her  hus- 
band that  it  would  be  best,  at  least  at  present, 
to  tell  the  young  people  no  more  than  they  pro- 
posed to  give  out  publicly. 

A  day  of  sight-seeing  was  enough,  the  whole 
party  agreed,  for  Asheville.  What  they  wanted 
was  not  fashionable  summer  tourists,  but  the 
crisp,  free  mountain  air,  and  people  who  came 
for  rest  and  true  recreation. 

A  ride  down  the  beautiful  French  Broad 
river  and  over  into  Tennessee  and  then  by  the 
curious  narrow-gauge  Cranberry  Railway,  and 
they  found  themselves  at  the  quaint  little  vil- 
lage of  Banner's  Elk. 

This  village,  now  the  home  of  one  of  the 
noblest  missions  of  the  Southern  Presbyterian 
Church — the  Lees-MacRae  Institute, — was  but 
a  hamlet  and  comparatively  unknown  as  a 
health  resort,  at  the  time  of  the  Fabians'  visit, 
although  now  well  known  and  patronized  by 
neurasthenic  patients. 

Its  chief  recommendation  to  Mr.  Fabian  and 
other  followers  of  old  Isaac  Walton  was  the  fine 
trout  fishing  on  the  Elk  and  its  tributaries. 
Mrs.  Fabian  and  the  girls  had  left  home  in  that 
happy  frame  of  mind  in  which  one  expects 
pleasant  things;  accordingly  they  accepted  the 
situation  quite  as  a  matter  of  course  when  they 
found  a  pleasant  company  of  people  in  the  lit- 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  37 

tie  hotel  from  Nashville,  ^Memphis  and  other 
parts  of  the  South. 

Mrs.  Fabian  was  glad  to  find  yonng  people, 
for  she  judged  Alicia  and  Mabel  by  herself. 
When  she  was  young  something  more  than  a 
family  party,  however  happy,  would  have  been 
required  to  make  enjoyment  for  her  away  from 
home ;  and  the  girls  were  not  sorry. 

Mr.  Fabian  found  the  trout  fishing  all  that  it 
had  been  represented,  especially  on  the  Shon- 
nyhaw,  the  limpid  tributary  of  the  Elk,  and 
had  also  found  congenial  company,  while 
Ralph  was  developing  an  incipient  fondness  for 
fishing  that  was  gi-atifying  to  his  father. 

The  week  of  their  stay  was  prolonged  to  ten 
days,  and  those  who  believe  in  the  strong  and 
faithful  Hand  behind  what  are  called  the 
casual  events  of  life,  must  note  the  outcome  of 
what  at  the  time  threatened  to  be  a  dire  acci- 
dent. 

Mr.  Fabian  and  Ralph,  in  company  with  two 
gentlemen  from  Alabama,  decided  to  climb 
Beech  Mountain,  which  stands  guard  over  the 
broken  valley  in  which  Banner  Elk  is  situated. 
The  distance  to  the  top  of  the  rugged  cliff  tliat 
marks  the  summit  is  alx)ut  four  miles,  and  not 
only  is  the  path  very  rough,  but  it  is  criss- 
crossed by  a  number  of  others  leading  to  as 
many  points.  These  expert  climbers  declined 
the  assistance  of  a  guide,  and  started  off  after 
an  early  dinner,  trusting    to    their    supposed 


38 


Balph  Fabian's  Mistakes 


woodcraft — ''to  common  sense,  and  last,  and 
perhaps  chiefly,  to  the  horse  sense  of  the  ani- 
mnls  on  which  they  were  mounted." 

The  very  natural  consequence  of  their  hardi- 
hood was  that  at  sundown  they  found  them- 
selves without  the  slightest  idea  as  to  which 
path  led  down  to  Banner's  Elk,  without  over- 
coats, without  matches  to  light  a  fire,  without 
food,  and  without  a  sign  of  a  human  habitation 
within  sight  or  sound ! 

''Here's  a  pretty  kettle  of  fish !"  exclaimed 
Mr.  Fabian,  as  he  buttoned  up  his  coat  to  keep 
out  the  crisp,  cold  air  that  was  blowing,  as  the 
sun  sank  out  of  sight. 

The  younger  men  thought  it  rather  exciting 
and  funny, — this  perplexity  that  confronted 
them, — but  the  older  ones  knew  that  it  was  no 
laughing  matter.  They  were  cold  already, 
they  had  no  way  to  protect  themselves.  The  air 
had  made  them  ravenously  hungry  and  there 
was  nothing  to  eat.  The  after-glow  which  had 
been  a  marvel  of  beauty,  was  fast  fading  and 
the  night  was  coming  on. 

By  the  aid  of  the  strong  field-glass  which 
they  had  brought  they  could  see  the  gleaming 
lights  down  in  the  little  village.  The  soft  halo 
of  blue  smoke  that  rested  above  the  houses  only 
made  them  shiver,  because  it  suggested  fire. 

"I'm  afraid  our  people  will  begin  to  feel 
anxious,  too,"  remarked  Mr.  Wilkinson. 

''Well,  let's  start  back  at  once,"  said  Fred 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  39 

Wilmore  resolutely.  "Surely  we  can  trust  the 
horses  to  find  their  way  back  to  feed  and  sta- 
bles." He  turned  towards  the  horses  that  were 
grazing  quietly. 

"Stop !"  said  Mr.  Fabian,  "do  you  remem- 
ber the  number  of  places  where  the  path  lies  on 
the  very  verge  of  deep  ravines  and  of  preci- 
pices, where  one  misstep  would  hurl  us  down 
with  the  possibility  of  broken  limbs,  if  no 
worse  ?  No,  sir !  I  am  in  favor  of  remaining 
where  we  are  until  daylight." 

"We'll  freeze,  Mr.  Fabian!"  exclaimed 
young  Wilmore,  shivering  as  he  spoke. 

"Hardly;  but  I  would  rather  risk  that  than 
to  be  lying  at  the  bottom  of  some  ravine  with  a 
broken  leg.  Wouldn't  you  ?  I  move  that  we 
go  down  to  the  shelter  of  that  clump  of  laurels," 
he  added,  "and  commit  ourselves  to  God's  care 
and  there  resign  ourselves  to  our  fate." 

The  wind  was  now  blowing  so  that  it  was 
with  difficulty  they  could  keep  their  hats  on, 
and  following  Mr.  Fabian's  suggestion  they 
moved  down  to  the  shelter  of  the  laurels,  car- 
rying their  saddles  and  blankets  to  aid  in  mak- 
ing their  seats  more  comfortable. 

The  older  men  really  took  the  situation  more 
cheerfully  than  the  younger.  Old  men  have 
learned  to  wait,  have  learned  when  one  must 
needs  trust  and  do  nothing,  and  these  men  could 
look  back  to  the  rough  experiences  of  camp  life 


40  Ralph  Fabia:n's  Mistakes 

durmg  the  Civil  War,  and  they  were  growing 
reminiscent,  when  Ralph  said  suddenly: 

"Listen,  father!  isn't  that  somebody  call- 
ing?" He  sprang  to  his  feet,  followed  quickly 
by  young  Wilmore,  and  they  would  have  moved 
away  in  the  darkness  had  not  Mr.  Fabian  called 
sternly : 

"Boys,  do  not  move.  You  may  plunge  down 
to  your  death.  Call  if  you  choose,  but  do  not 
move  ten  steps." 

Hello !  He-l-l-o !  He-l-l-o !"  they  both  shouted. 
The  cliff  near  by  echoed  the  sound,  but  no 
human  voice  responded. 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  41 


CHAPTER    V. 

FRIENDS    IN    NEED. 

While  a  group  of  guests  were  standing  at  tlie 
end  of  the  gallery  and  watching  the  glory  of  the 
sunset  pale  behind  Beech  Mountain,  Mrs.  Fa- 
bian said  anxiously: 

''Ought  they  not  to  have  been  back  by  this 
time  'i  They  told  us  the  trip  would  take  about 
three  hours,  and  they  left  here  at  half-past 
two." 

Alicia,  more  anxious  than  she  was  willing  to 
acknowledge  to  her  mother,  replied  lightly: 

"They  will  be  here  soon,  mamma.  Supper 
always  brings  men  home,  and  they  will  all  be 
himgry  as  cats,"  she  added  with  a  laugh. 

Mrs.  Fabian  smiled  very  faintly  as  she  drew 
her  shawl  about  her  and  shivered.  Already  the 
air  seemed  frosty.  Directly  she  said  in  still 
more  anxious  tones: 

"Your  father  would  not  take  his  overcoat; 
Qeither  did  Mr.  Wilkinson,  and  Mrs.  Wilkin- 
son tells  me  he  is  just  recovering  from  a  long 
illness  with  typhoid  fever." 

"Oh,  well,  Mrs.  Fabian,  they  say  nobody 
ever  takes  cold  here,  and  I  would  think  a  climb 


42  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

to  the  top  of  Beech  Mountain  would  be  equal  to 
several  overcoats,"  said  Mabel  Greenaway. 

''Yes,  but  they  did  not  walk,"  replied  Mrs. 
Fabian,  refusing  to  be  comforted,  "and  if  they 
should  miss  their  way " 

An  old  gentleman  sitting  at  the  end  of  the 
piazza  came  forward  and  said  pleasantly: 

''Oh,  they  are  probably  walking,  madam,  and 
that  is  what  causes  the  delay." 

Mrs.  Fabian  controlled  her  anxiety  as  best 
she  could  and  went  in  to  the  supper  table,  but 
none  of  the  party  ate  heartily,  and  they  were 
soon  on  the  long  gallery  again  with  wistful  eyes 
turned  towards  old  Beech,  though  they  could 
scarcely  discern  his  outline  by  this  time. 

Mrs.  Fabian's  beautiful  profile  looked  as  if 
carved  of  marble  as  she  passed  back  and  forth 
before  the  lighted  window.  She  recalled  all  of 
the  disasters  she  had  read  of  as  having  occurred 
to  travellers  lost  in  the  mountains,  and  had 
worked  herself  into  a  perfect  agony  of  anxiety 
by  nine  o'clock.  It  was  ^vell  for  her  that 
iVlicia  was  of  a  different  temperament,  and 
able  to  say  cheery  words  and  to  hide  her  own 
anxiety,  for  which  there  really  began  to  be 
some  excuse. 

There  had  been  an  arrival  while  they  were 
out  walking  in  the  afternoon,  and  in  the  circle 
of  men  gathered  at  what  was  known  as  the 
"Smokers'  Corner,"  a  young  man  sat  and 
watched  the  Fabians  with  interest.     He  had 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  43 

first  been  attracted  by  Alicia's  beautiful  head, 
had  overheard  her  cheery  words  to  her  mother, 
and  especially  noted  the  soft  Southern  voices 
and  their  peculiar  accents.  Then  he  began  to 
listen  with  growing  interest  to  the  questions  of 
Mrs.  Wilkinson,  and  Mrs.  Fabian,  now  standing 
near  the  group  of  gentlemen  and  sharing  the 
anxiety  of  the  occasion. 

At  last,  to  the  infinite  relief  of  the  anxious 
wives,  the  men  decided  that  it  would  be  best  to 
"go  and  look  'em  up,"  as  some  one  expressed  it. 
By  this  time  quite  a  number  of  the  villagers 
had  gathered,  ready  with  generous  sympathy 
and  glad,  too,  for  something  to  get  excited  over. 

In  a  little  while  they  were  ready  with  torches 
and  with  stout  sticks  to  start  off  on  the  search. 
Several  of  the  gentlemen  on  the  porch  stepped 
off  and  joined  the  company,  among  them  the 
young  man  so  newly  arrived. 

''Gen'elmen,"  said  the  guide,  "ef  you  have 
the  sinews  of  a  b'ar,  the  patience  of  Job,  en 
the  eyes  of  an  owl,  come  on !  We  will  be  pleased 
to  have  the  acquisition  of  your  society  in  this 
labor  of  love !" 

''As  to  the  sinews  of  a  bear  or  the  patience 
of  Job,  I'm  not  sure.  I  make  no  pretensions  of 
that  kind,"  said  Mr.  Covington,  the  newly  ar- 
rived guest,  ''but  as  to  my  eyes,  I  flatter  myself 
they  are  better  than  an  owl's,  for  I  see  pretty 
well  by  night  and  by  day,  and  as  I  have  had 
some  experience  in  climbing  both  in  the  West 


44 


Ealph  Fabian's  Mistakes 


and  in  the  Swiss  raountainsj  if  you  let  me,  I 
will  join  yon." 

His  quiet  statement  of  his  previous  experi- 
ences had  filled  the  guide  with  such  profound 
admiration  that  the  departure  of  the  party  was 
delayed  for  a  few  moments,  while  he  stepped 
forward  and  said: 

"Give  us  a  shake,  stranger,  and  forgive  me  if 
the  envious  thought  of  your  extensive  travels 
should  add  a  little  vinegar  to  the  dressing  of 
speech." 

Mr.  Covington  shook  hands  cordially  with 
this  eccentric  guide,  and  they  moved  forward. 

For  two  anxious  hours  the  women  waited, 
and  watched,  and  prayed,  for  they  were  terribly 
wrought  up  by  this  time,  some  one  having  in- 
judiciously told  of  a  guest  who  had  been  lost 
for  a  day  and  a  half,  and  who  was  nearly  dead 
with  cold  and  fright  when  they  found  him. 

About  eleven  some  one  called  out: 

*'Look  there !"  pointing  to  the  side  of  Beech 
Mountain  near  the  top,  and  there  distinctly  in 
sight  was  the  procession  of  torchlights !  A  few 
moments  later  they  could  be  seen  waving,  which, 
of  course,  meant  that  the  lost  were  found. 

''How  long  will  it  take  them  to  come  down  ?" 
asked  Alicia. 

"Well,  it's  about  a  good  hour's  walk  by  day- 
light, but  I  'low  it'll  take  'em  some  longer  by 
night." 

"Another  hour  and  a  half,  at  least,  of  sus- 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  45 

pense!"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Fabian,  beginning 
already  to  feel  the  reaction  after  a  mental 
strain. 

''Oh,  this  will  pass  quickly,  madam,  with  the 
aid  of  cheerful  patience,"  said  a  pleasant-faced 
old  gentleman  who  was  one  of  the  afternoon's 
arrivals.  Somehow  his  remark  stimulated  Mrs. 
Fabian.  There  was  something  of  the  cheer 
born  of  faith  in  what  he  said,  and  she  moved 
away  with  a  quick  step,  to  arrange  for  supper, 
for  Air.  Fabian  and  Ralph,  and  a  good  fire,  for 
the  niglit  had  grown  quite  chilly. 

About  half-past  twelve  there  was  a  noise  way 
down  the  steep  hill  up  which  the  street  climbed 
to  the  hotel.  Then  there  was  a  flare  of  light 
beyond  the  houses  along  the  way,  and  then  the 
sound  of  singing  and  laughing,  and  Alicia, 
witiiout  v^'aiting  for  company,  sprang  down  the 
steps  and  rushed  half  way  down  the  hill  to 
meet  them. 

The  straying  tourists  had  been  found  about 
se'.eral  hun<]red  yards  from  the  summit  on  the 
other  side  of  the  cliff,  completely  desorieiites, 
as  the  French  have  it,  and,  like  Mr.  Micawber, 
quietly  waiting  for  something  to  turn  up ! 

They  were  all  tired  and  very  hungry  and,  we 
will  hope,  wiser  men  for  this  experience. 

The  party  made  quite  a  picturesque  appear- 
ance as  they  drew  near  the  hotel.  First  came 
the  guide,  Mr.  Ruggles,  waving  his  torch  and 
giuging ;  behind  came  Mr.  Fabian  mounted,  and 


46  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

by  his  side  walked  Alicia  with  one  hand  on  his 
knee  and  the  other  around  Ralph's  shoulder,  for 
he  was  walking.  Unconsciously  she  added  very 
much  to  the  picture,  for  the  lights  flashed  on 
her  crimson  shawl,  and  on  her  smiling  up- 
turned face.  Mounted  on  Ralph's  horse  was  an 
old  man  of  the  searching  party,  and  straggling 
along  after  were  the  other  heroes  of  the  ad- 
venture and  their  rescuers.  So  ended  the  dav's 
adventure,  of  which  the  older  men  were  some- 
what ashamed,  as  it  proved  that  old  men  are  not 
alwavs  wise. 

The  next  day  the  Fabians  went  over  to  Lin- 
ville,  as  Mr.  Fabian  was  anxious  to  fish  on  the 
Linville  river.  The  gentlemen  enjoyed  the 
days  spent  there  more  than  Mrs.  Fabian  and 
the  girls,  for  though  the  beautiful  little  Eseeola 
Inn  was  a  charming  place,  the  people  were  not 
especially  congenial,  being  very  gay;  besides, 
they  were  impatient  to  go  on  to  Blowing  Rock, 
where  they  expected  to  join  friends.  It  was 
with  very  great  pleasure,  then,  that  they  heard 
Mr.  Fabian  giving  orders  for  a  surrey  to  take 
them  over  the  now  famous  Yonahlossee  road  the 
next  day. 

It  was  a  wonderful  drive,  doubtless  one  of 
the  most  beautiful  on  the  American  continent, 
winding  along  for  twenty  miles  at  an  elevation 
of  over  four  thousand  feet  above  the  sea  level, 
and  so  perfectly  graded  that  at  no  time  was 
one  conscious  of  either  climbing  or  jolting — 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  47 

and  the  view,  or  series  of  views,  who  can  fitly 
describe  ? 

On  their  right  hand  stretched  the  Blue  Ridge, 
as  some  one  has  said: 

"A  very  sea  of  billowy  mountains  under  skies. 
Where    summer's    golden    sunlight    reigns    su- 
preme." 

The  day  was  a  perfect  mountain  summer  day. 
The  blue  of  an  August  sky  overhead,  with  soft 
cloud-boats  drifting  lazily  and  dropping  their 
purple  shadows  on  the  mountains  as  they 
passed. 

Alicia  Fabian  was  not  consciously  a  poet,  but 
deep  into  her  soul  sank  the  wondrous  beauty  of 
that  scene,  and  long  years  after,  when  her  heart 
was  torn  with  sorrow  she  remembered  that 
drive,  and  the  enjoyment  that  fairly  beamed  in 
Ralph's  face. 

"Papa,"  she  said  softly,  "look  at  that  great 
mountain  of  clouds  heaped  in  the  west,  how 
dazzlingly  white.  What  does  it  suggest  to 
you  ?" 

Mr.  Fabian  turned  and  saw  the  rapt  look 
in  her  face  and  was  touched  by  it. 

"I  don't  know,  my  daughter.  It  is  more 
beautiful  than  anything  I  have  ever  seen,  I  be- 
lieve.    What  does  it  remind  you  of  ?" 

"Of  the  description  of  the  Transfiguration," 
she  said  reverently,  "and  of  the  raiment  shining 


48 


IIalph  Fabian's  Mistakes 


exrecdiug  white  as  snow.  The  cloud  that  over- 
shadoM'eJ  the  disciples  oil  the  Mount  must  have 
been  like  that." 

^Iv.  Fabian  smiled  a  grave  smile,  but  said 
nothing,  although  in  his  heart  he  was  thanking 
God  for  his  daughter. 

At  one  of  the  abrupt  curves  in  the  road  where 
a  drinking  trough  had  been  placed  for  the  com- 
fort of  the  horses,  Kalph  exclaimed: 

"Look  there,  father,  that's  Mr.  Covington; 
that  stranger  who  was  in  the  searching  party 
the  other  night." 

"Sure  enough!"  said  Mr.  Fabian;  "I  wonder 
what  he  is  doing  here,  and  walking,  too !" 

xlhead  of  them  they  saw  a  tall,  stalwart  figure 
clad  in  knickerbockers,  with  his  knapsack  hung 
on  his  alpenstock.  When  he  heard  the  surrey 
approaching  he  turned  and,  recognizing  Mr. 
Fabian  as  they  drew  near,  he  touched  his  hat 
and  said,  "Good  afternoon !" 

^Ir.  Fabian,  though  fully  possessed  of  the 
Southern  caution  about  introducing  strangers 
to  his  family,  had  not  only  a  sense  of  obligation 
to  this  man,  as  one  of  the  party  of  searchers, 
but  had  recognized  a  certain  air  of  refinement, 
perliaps  even  of  distinction  about  him,  that 
made  him  turn  without  hesitation  and  say  to 
his  wife : 

"IMarie,  this  is  Mr.  Covington,  wdio  so  kindly 
assisted  in  the  search  for  your  straying  hus- 
band;   and   this,"   he    said,    turning    towards 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  49 

Alicia,  "is  my  daughter,  Miss  Fabian,  and  her 
friend,  Miss  Greenaway.  Ralph,  I  believe,  you 
know." 

After  the  introductions  had  been  made,  Mr. 
Fabian  said: 

"You  are  a  good  walker,  Mr.  Covington.  We 
are  eight  miles  from  Linville." 

Mr.  Covington  smiled  and  said :  "Yes,  I  am 
fond  of  walking,  but  if  I  was  not  this  air  and 
this  road  would  inspire  me.  There  can  be 
nothing  finer  in  America.  I  am  on  my  way 
to  Blowing  Rock  to  see  what  the  accommoda- 
tions are  for  an  invalid.  My  sister  would  like 
to  spend  the  rest  of  the  summer  there  if  I  can 
find  her  a  pleasant  boarding  place." 

"Are  you  really  expecting  to  walk  the  whole 
way  ?"  asked  Mrs.  Fabian,  whose  accomplish- 
ments in  that  direction  were  not  remarkable. 

"Yes,  madam,  and  I  hope  to  sleep  there  to- 
night." 

Ralph  listened,  ardently  wishing  for  an  in- 
vitation to  join  him,  for  at  least  a  part  of  the 
way,  and  his  wish  was  gratified,  for  in  a  few 
moments  Mr.  Covington,  looking  at  his  watch, 
said : 

"Well,  this  is  very  pleasant,  but  if  I  am  to 
fulfill  my  expectation  of  sleeping  at  Blowing 
Rock  to-night  I  must  be  'up  and  doing.'  Fa- 
bian," he  added,  turning  to  Ralph,  "will  you 
not  join  me, — at  least  for  a  part  of  the  way  ?" 

Ralph  glanced  towards  his  father,  and  see- 


50  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

ing  an  acquiescent  look  on  his  face,  sprang  out 
of  the  surrey,  saying  eagerly: 

"I'll  be  delighted  to  join  you,  though  I  am 
not  sure  that  I  can  do  the  whole  thing." 

In  a  few  moments  they  had  passed  out  of 
sight. 

"That  seems  to  be  a  gentlemanly  fellow,  and 
yet  I  am  surprised  that  I  let  Ealph  go  with 
him  so  readily." 

"I  am  surprised,  too,"  said  Mrs.  Fabian, 
with  a  smile;  "a  stranger  and  a  Hoosier,  too! 
But  he  certainly  has  gentleman  written  on  his 
brow!" 

"Yes,  but  I  will  tell  you  why  I  am  not 
afraid  to  trust  our  boy  with  him.  As  we  came 
down  the  mountain  the  other  night  some  of 
the  crowd  were  quite  hilarious,  and  one  man 
uttered  an  oath.  Mr.  Covington  was  walking 
near  him  and  he  stopped  a  moment  and,  look- 
ing the  fellow  steadily  in  the  eye,  said  pleas- 
antly but  firmly: 

"  'Suppose  you  leave  those  words  off.  They 
are  neither  pleasant  nor  sensible." 

"The  crowd  was  evidently  surprised,  and  in 
another  minute  the  man  asked : 

"  'Be  you  a  preacher  ?' 
_  "  'Xo,  I  am  no  preacher,  but  I  am  a  Chris- 
tian, and  it  was  my  God's  name  you  were  tak- 
ing in  vain.' 

"The  man  walked  on  in  silence.     Some  may 


Ralph  FABIA^'*s  Mistakes  51 

say  that  Coviugton's  being  so  much  the  larger 
man  of  the  two  had  to  do  with  the  effect  of  his 
speech,  but  as  the  torch  light  fell  upon  him  I 
saw  that  he  wore  a  Y.  M.  C.  A.  badge,  and 
realized  that  Christian  courage  always  tells." 


.  y»_  .  _     , _ 


62  ItALPH  Fabian's  Mistakes 


CHAPTER    VI. 


OFF  FOR  COLLEGE. 


While  the  happy  fortnight  spent  at  Blowing 
Rock  may  well  deserve  a  chapter,  we  must  give 
it  but  a  few  paragraphs. 

The  entire  Fabian  party  were  captivated  by 
the  climatic,  scenic,  and  social  charms  of  this 
justly  famous  resort,  and  perhaps  we  should 
say  in  passing  that  Ralph  was  not  the  only 
member  of  the  party  who  was  indebted  to  Har- 
old Covington  for  much  of  the  pleasure  of  that 
fortnight. 

Mr.  Covington  had  been  so  fortunate  as  to 
engage  a  most  desirable  boarding  place  for  his 
sister  and  himself,  and  by  the  end  of  the  week 
they  were  comfortably  fixed  at  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  situations  on  the  mountain. 

Then  came  walks  and  mountain  scrambles, 
fishing  parties,  tenuis  jiarties,  drives  and  horse- 
back rides,  in  all  of  which  Mr.  Covington 
proved  a  most  agi'eeable  escort.  His  sister,  some 
years  his  senior,  and  an  invalid  who  had  come 
South  for  entire  change  of  climate,  was  a  win- 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  63 

some  and  cultivated  woman.  They  were  evi- 
dently people  of  wealth,  thongli  simple  and  un- 
pretentious, yet  their  hands  were  ever  open  to 
dispense  not  only  generosity  to  the  needy,  but 
kindly  attentions  to  everybody,  and  withal, 
with  a  very  ardent  desire  to  study  Southern 
people  and  their  ways  for  themselves,  and  the 
Fabians  seemed  to  furnish  suthcient  object  les- 
sons, at  least  to  Harold  Covington ! 

At  last  the  evening  came  when  J\Ir.  Fabian 
said : 

"Marie,  thanks  to  Alicia,  we  have  had  the 
most  delightful  outing  that  w^as  possible,  but 
day  after  to-morrow  we  must  start  for  home, 
not  only  because  my  business  requires  my  pres- 
ence, but  because  it  is  time  for  Ealph  to  make 
all  necessary  preparation  for  college,  which, 
you  remember,  opens  on  the  16th  of  Sept/smber, 
and  he  must  be  there  in  advance  to  stand  his 
examinations." 

The  shadow  of  the  regret  with  which  the 
young  people  heard  this  announcement  rested 
on  their  faces  as  long  as  they  were  at  Blowing 
Rock,  but  there  was  no  word  of  murmuring, 
and  no  appeal  from  Mr,  Fabiai^'s  decision. 

Mrs.  Fabian,  with  the  strong  love  of  home 
embedded  in  her  heart,  and  the  equally  strong 
desire  to  do  whatever  her  husband  thought  best, 
was  probably  more  willing  to  go,  although,  as 
an  expression  of  her  sympathy  with  the  young 
people,  she  said: 


54:  Ealpii  Fabian's  Mistakes 

"Well,  papa,  the  king's  edict  is  irrevocable, 
but  we  are  certainly  sorry  to  leave  this  charm- 
ing place,  and  hope  to  come  back  some  day!" 

"Yes  indeed,  papa,"  exclaimed  Alicia  fer- 
vently; "come  early  and  stay  late.  They  tell 
me  that  no  season  is  so  beautiful  here  as  the 
fall !" 

"Oh,  some  one  said  only  this  morning  that  we 
ought  to  be  here  in  June  to  see  the  rhododen- 
drons and  azalias  in  all  their  glory!"  said 
Mabel. 

"Yes,  and  that  is  why  I  said:  'Come  early 
and  stay  late.'     Don't  forget  that,  dear  papa!" 

Of  course  most  of  the  next  day  was  spent  by 
the  ladies  in  packing,  but  in  the  afternoon  there 
were  last  visits  to  be  paid  to  Sunset  View  and 
other  points,  and  Mr.  Covington  was  on  hand 
to  escort  Alicia. 

The  next  afternoon  found  them  not  only  two 
tliousand  feet  nearer  the  sea  level,  but  en  route 
by  rail  for  home. 

At  last  the  eventful  day  came  when  Ealph 
Fabian  left  home  for  college, 

A  manly  boy  of  sixteen  is  very  particular  not 
to  show  any  emotion  on  such  occasions,  and 
Ealph  was  a  manly  boy,  but  there  was  a  queer 
lump  in  his  throat  as  he  kissed  his  mother 
good-bye  that,  somehow,  interfered  with  speech, 
and  when  his  sister,  who  had  insisted  on  riding 
to  the  station,  that  she  might  see  the  last  of 


r-?i>-j>> 


Halph  Faijtam*s  Mistakes  55 

him,  attempted  to  get  out  of  the  carriage  with 
him,  Ralph  said  quicklv: 

"Oh,  Aliie,  let's  say  good-bye  here." 

Alicia  seated  herself  again,  then,  putting  her 
arm  aroimd  her  brother's  shoulder,  and  looking 
at  him  with  tearful  e^^es,  she  said : 

•'Ral,  we've  always  been  ehums.  Don't  let 
any  boy  come  between  us.  I  always  expect  to 
be  interested  in  everything  that  concerns  you, — 
baseball,  golf  and  tennis,  as  well  as  your  lessons. 
It  will  be  bad  enough  to  have  your  wife  take 
first  place, — when  you  get  one, — but  I  could  not 
stand  a  boy's  being  ahead  of  me  in  your  confi- 
dence." 

Ralph  was  glad  to  have  a  humorous  turn 
given  to  the  conversation,  for  the  tears  were 
coming,  and  that  mysterious  lump  was  choking 
him  again. 

"Nobody '11  ever  be  Allie  to  me,  not  even  my 
wnfe,"  he  said,  throwing  his  arms  about  her  and 
kissing  her  again  and  again.  Then  he  sprang 
out  of  the  carriage  with  a  combination  sob  and 
laugh,  which  did  not  escape  his  sister's  ear. 

How  often  in  the  long  years  that  were  to 
come  did  Ralph  recall  those  words  of  Alicia, 
and  how  sacredly  the  picture  of  that  parting 
scene  was  treasured  in  Alicia's  memory ! 

Mr.  Fabian  handed  him  his  ticket  and  checks 
as  he  reached  the  door  of  the  station  room,  and 
as  they  walked  to  the  train  he  laid  his  hand  on 
Ralph's  shoulder  and  said: 


56  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

''Well,  my  boy,  your  fatjier  does  not  expect 
you  to  take  a  brilliaiit  stand  at  college,  although 
he  would  not  object,  but  he  does  expect  you  to 
be  an  honest,  earnest  student  and  a  gentleman." 

He  grasped  both  the  boy's  hands,  the  whistle 
blew,  Ralph  stepped  up  into  the  coach  and  the 
train  moved  off. 

The  boy's  thoughts,  as  he  aped  rapidly  to  his 
destination,  were  divided  between  the  two  fears 
that  haunt  most  boys  entering  college, — the  fear 
of  his  examination  and  the  fear  of  hazing, — 
which  every  freshman  possesses  deep  down  in 
his  heart,  whether  he  is  honest  enough  to  ac- 
knowledge it  or  not. 

It  is  no  indication  of  cowardice  to  be  afraid 
of  either,  so  let  no  college  boy,  whose  eye  may 
rest  on  this  page,  smile  derisively  at  Ralph's 
imeasiness. 

"I'm  not  afraid  to  fight  any  boy  if  he  wants 
to  test  my  courage,  but  I  despise  all  this  fool- 
ishness, ducking  a  fellow  in  ice-water,  making 
him  walk  round  the  room  on  his  hands,  or  stand 
on  his  head  and  sing,  or  any  other  new  piece  of 
foolishness.  It's  beneath  the  dignity  of  a  col- 
lege boy,  even  of  a  freshman." 

This  was  Ralph's  opinion,  and  he  was  right. 
What  a  pity  that  more  boys  did  not  agree  with 
him !  He  had  been  consistent,  too,  and  never 
helped  to  haze  any  boy  at  the  High  School,  nor 
did  he  during  his  brief  college  life  ever  waver. 
He  simply  and  positively  declined,  giving  the 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  67 

same  reason  to  liis  college  males  that  he  had 
given  to  his  sister. 

The  student  body  of  B College  subse- 
quently took  that  high  stand  themselves,  and  if 
at  any  time  there  was  an  attempt  to  subject 
freshmen  to  any  of  the  indignities  passing 
under  the  vague  term  ''hazing,"  it  was  so 
frowned  down  by  the  majority  of  the  student 
body  that  the  institution  has  won  the  title  of 
the  "College  of  Gentlemen." 

As  to  Ralpli's  own  fate  as  a  freshman,  let  us 
look  at  the  two  first  letters  received  from  him 
after  he  entered : 

My  Dear  Mamma  :  I  passed  a  fair  exam., 
I  think,  and  am  entered  as  a  full  Fresh.  I  was 
not  as  much  frightened  as  I  expected.  The 
Profs,  are  all — at  least  those  I  have  to  do  with 
— pleasant  and  friendly.  The  boys  say  that 
Prof.  X.  is  awfully  cross,  and  that  he  will 
"peek"  on  a  fellow,  but  I  have  not  forgott^en 
what  papa  said  about  "taking  boys'  opinions." 

I  think  I  got  off  pretty  well  in  hazing.  I'll 
write  Allie  about  it.  I  have  to  go  to  studying 
now.     Love  to  all.     Please  write  often. 

Your  loving  son, 

Ralph  ]\r.  Fabiax. 

The  second  letter  is  to  his  sister,  and  gives  a 
little  more  insight  into  his  life. 


5S  Kali'ii  Fabian's  Mistakes 

My  Deak  Allie:  I'm  hH  riglit!  I  did  not 
have  a  very  gay  trip  tliough.  You  see  I  had 
both  Exams,  and  II  a /Jug  ou  the  brain,  but  I 
can  tell  you  now  that  they  are  both  like  old  Vix 
— their  bark  is, worse  than  their  bite.  Of  course 
you  understand  that  1  mean  that  I  got  off  easier 
from  both  than  I  expected.  This  is  a  beautiful 
place.  Tlie  Campus  is  oue  of  the  finest  groves 
of  oaks  I  almost  ever  saw,  and  there  are  a  few 
elms  and  two  tall  pines,  and  the  grass  is  very 
green,  as  they  have  had  good  rains. 

^ij  room  is  in  a  double  cottage,  and  my 
room-mate,  named  Curtis,  seems  to  be  a  nice 
fellow,  but  we  don't  talk  much  yet,  because  we 
don't  know  what  to  talk  about.  He  says  his 
father  used  to  have  a  friend  named  Fabian. 

Well,  vou  will  want  to  know  about  mv  haz- 
ing.  They  came  to  my  door  the  second  night 
after  I  came.  I  opened  the  door  and  said:  "If 
any  boy  wants  to  fight  me  because  I've  just 
come,  and  he  has  been  here  a  session,  let  him 
come  on.  I'm  ready,  but  if  you  try  any  fool 
tricks  on  me,  I'll  get  even  with  you  some  day 
vet." 

Just  then  somebody  seized  me  from  behind 
and  tied  my  arms,  and  somebody  else  blind- 
folded me,  and  they  started  to  lift  me,  but 
don't  you  remember  that  trick  Mr.  Covington 
taught  me  last  summer  ?  Well,  I  simply  stif- 
fened myself  and  fell  backwards  on  them,  and 
just  as  we  were  scuffling  together  Curtis  blew 


Kalph  Fabia^-'s  Mistakes  59 

out  the  light,  and  I  rolled  over  near  the  wall. 

Professor  X was  outside  the  door,  heard 

the  fuss,  and  suddenly  appeared  with  a  lighted 
match  in  hand,  which  illmuinated  his  cadaver- 
ous visage,  ajid  gave  Curtis  light  enough  to  see 
where  my  wrists  were  tied.  As  soon  as  he  cut 
the  cord,  I  stepped  forward  towards  Professor 
X and  the  boys  all  ran.  1  laughed,  be- 
cause I  thought  they  were  the  worst  hazed. 

Professor  X looked   down   at  me  over 

his  glasses  (I  forgot  to  say  Curtis  had  lit  the 
lamp  again),  and  he  said: 

"You  are  a  Freshman,  I  believe  ?" 

"Yes,  sir,"  I  said,  trying  not  to  laugh,  for 
he  looked  as  if  he  was  performing  a  funeral 
service. 

"They  have  been  hazing  you.  Do  you  know 
who  your  assailants  were  '^" 

It  was  all  I  could  do  to  keep  from  laughing, 
but  I  managed  to  say  in  tones  nearly  as  solemn 
as  his:  "They  were  Sophomores,  sir,  but  I  am 
not  personally  acquainted  and  do  not  care  to 
know  their  names."  To  which  he  replied,  "Awh 
— awh,"  and  took  his  departure,  and  so  ended 
the  first  attempt  to  haze. 

Your  loving  brother, 

Ralph. 

If  Mr.  Fabian  had  been  a  demonstrative  man 
he  would  have  expressed  his  pleasure  and  pride 
in  Kalph  just  now,  for  he  was  both  pleased  and 


60  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

proud.  Pleased  that  his  boy  had  passed  his 
examination  creditably,  and  prond  of  his  cour- 
age in  meeting  the  attempt  to  haze  him,  and  his 
sense  of  honor  in  declining  to  give  the  names  of 
the  boys,  some  of  whom  were  kuo\\Ti  by  name. 
But  ]\fr.  Fabian,  though  he  acknowledged  to 
himself,  and  even  to  his  wife  at  times,  that  he 
ought  to  praise  his  children  more,  did  not  mend 
his  ways  in  this  respect,  and  Ralph  never  sus- 
pected that  his  father  approved  of  him  in  any 
way. 

The  fall  months  passed  rapidly.  Ralph 
seemed  to  be  doing  well,  and  yet  there  was  a 
tone  of  restlessness  and  depression  which  his 
sister  had  tried  vainly  to  get  him  to  explain. 
Mr.  Fabian  suspected  what  the  matter  was,  for 
he  had  received  several  bills  for  Ralph's  inci- 
dental expenses  which  were  larger  than  he  had 
expected. 

Mr.  Fabian  was  making  a  mistake  only  too 
common  with  parents  who,  bent  on  teaching 
their  children  economy,  fall  into  the  very  grave 
mistake  of  mortifying  their  pride  in  the  pro- 
cess. Surely  there  must  be  some  proper  me- 
dium between  the  over-indulgence  which  makes 
reckless  extravagance  and  that  prudence  which 
passes  for  parsimony ! 

College  boys  do  not  argue  much  outside  the 
society  halls — they  are  apt  to  settle  questions 
more  as  women  do ! 

The  small  monthly  allowance  which  Mr.  Fa- 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  61 

bian  had  given  Ralph  for  incidental  expenses, 
in  which  he  included  hooks,  stationery  and 
washing,  often  proved  insufficient  for  the  de- 
mands, and  more  than  once  his  face  had  hurnod 
with  mortification  because  he  had  had  to  de- 
cline joining  in  some  frolic,  simply  because  he 
had  not  the  money  in  his  pocket  to  spend.  lie 
dared  not  borrow,  and  was  afraid  to  write  to  his 
father  for  more.  He  could  easily  have  appealed 
to  Alicia,  but  he  knew  tliat  this  would  be  as  dis- 
pleasing to  his  father  as  to  apply  to  him.  Con- 
sequently he  began  to  decline  invitations  to 
oyster  suppers  and  other  festivities,  thus  get- 
ting more  and  more  out  of  touch  with  his  col- 
lege mates. 

This  condition  of  things  he  ventured  to  speak 
of  to  his  sister  on  his  return  home  for  the 
Christmas  holidays. 

"If  papa  was  a  poor  man,  it  would  be  dif- 
ferent, Allie,"  said  Ralph,  as  he  sat  gazing 
moodily  into  the  fire ;  "as  it  is,  it  is  gaining  me 
the  reputation  that  I  despise, — of  being  closej-. 
fisted." 


G2  Ealph  Fabiax's  Mistakes 


CHAPTER   VII. 

SHADOWS  CAST  BEFOEE. 

Tliej  were  sitting  toirether  in  Alicia's  eo7:y- 
room  the  morning  after  Ralph's  retnrn. 

Always  sympathetic,  always  affectionate  to 
her  only  brother,  Alicia  strove  to  be  loyal  to  her 
father,  too.  She  fonnd  it  harder  than  ever  be- 
fore to  comfort  the  boy.  She  knew  her  father 
loved  Ralph ;  she  knew  that  he  did  not  mean  to 
be  close,  but  she  saw  very  plainly  that  he  had 
forgotten  his  own  yonng  manhood,  the  lavish 
expenditures  of  his  own  college  days,  of  which 
she  had  so  often  heard  him  speak.  She  saw 
with  real  uneasiness  that  he  was  fanning  into  a 
flame  a  little  spark  of  bitterness  in  Ralph's 
heart.  She  would  gladly  have  divided  her  own 
allowance  with  her  brotlier,  for  though  she  was 
by  no  means  indifferent  to  dress,  nor  to  those 
little  pleasures  that  cost  money,  she  wanted 
Ralph's  college  life  to  be  happy. 

Mrs.  Fabian  had  ventured  a  mild  protest 
when  her  husband  told  her  what  he  proposed 
to  give  Ralph  as  a  monthly  allowance. 

"Don't  you  think  that  you  ought  to  give  hiin 


Ealph  Fabian's  Mistakes  63 

more,  Ralph  ?"  she  asked.  "It  seems  to  me  that 
leaves  him  very  little  marii;in  for  spendin!^: 
money.  College  boys  like  some  things  besides 
books,  you  know." 

"iS'ow,  Marie/'  Mr.  Fabian  had  i'C])lied,  "yov. 
are  not  acting  the  part  of  a  true  helpmeet  in  the 
moulding  of  our  boy's  character.  1  want  to 
teach  him  to  be  simple  in  his  habits,  and  to 
learn  economy.  I  hope  that  you  have  not  becni 
saying  anything  to  him  about  it  f  he  added 
quickly. 

"1  have  never  spoken  a  word  to  Ralph.  I 
never  let  my  children  think  that  I  disapprove 
of  anything  you  do.  You  did  not  have  this 
kind  of  training,"  she  added  boldly,  ''and  your 
character  does  not  seem  to  have  suffered  for  it." 

Mr.  Fabian  passed  by  the  graceful  compli- 
ment with  which  Mrs.  Fabian  had  flavored  her 
complaint  and  said,  with  some  temper; 

"Yes,  but  my  father  was  a  much  wealthier 
man  than  I  am ;  and,  besides,  times  have 
changed.  The  tendency  of  the  age  is  to  ex- 
travagance and  luxurious  living.  I  am  re- 
sponsible for  my  son's  character,  and  do  not 
"want  him  to  become  enervated  by  self-indul- 
gence." 

Mrs.  Fabian  knew  that  her  husband  was 
right,  and  yet  not  altogether  so,  and  she  also 
knew  that  he  was  not  generally  amenable  to  her 
arg-uments;  or,  that  was  the  way  she  tried  to 


61-  Ralph  Fabian's  ]\Iistakes 

exclude  herself  Avhen  she  realized  that  she  had 
let  slip  one  of  the  oj^portunities  of  a  lifetime. 

It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  she  listened 
with  nneasiness  when  Alicia  told  her  at  Christ- 
mas of  Ealph's  trouble.  If  the  boy  had  been 
one  of  the  outspoken,  gaj-hearted  sort  she  would 
not  have  been  so  apprehensive,  but  he  was  un- 
usually reticent,  and  she  feared  he  would  lock 
this  grievance  in  his  heart  and  brood  over  it 
nntil  the  root  of  the  bitterness  would  bear  the 
evil  fruit  of  a  grudge  against  his  father! 

The  second  morning  after  Ralph's  return 
his  father  said  to  him  at  breakfast  table : 

"Come  up  to  the  office  some  time  this  morn- 
ing, Ralph." 

Ralph  glanced  quickly  at  his  sister,  but  an- 
swered promptly: 

"All  right,  sfr." 

When  his  father  had  gone  and  he  found  him- 
self alone  with  Alicia,  he  said : 

''Allie,  papa  is  going  to  get  after  me  about 
my  college  expenses.  I  wish  you'd  go  to  the 
otHce  with  me !" 

"The  very  idea !  Why,  Ral,  you  are  really 
not  afraid  of  papa  ?  Just  be  frank  and  gentle, 
dear.  There's  a  great  warm  heart  of  love  beat- 
ing in  that  bosom  of  his." 

Ralph,  who  was  too  sore  from  the  mortifica- 
tions of  the  last  month,  and  too  bitter  just  now 
to  recognize  an  affection  that  never  expressed 
itself  approvingly,  only  shrugged  his  shoulders 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  65 

"with  a  restless  movement  of  disconteiit  and 
gazed  out  of  the  window, 

Alicia  lifted  a  swift  prayer  for  tact  and  wis- 
dom. She  was  more  anxious  to  bring  her  father 
and  Ralph  into  free  and  affectionate  relations 
than  to  accomplish  anything  else  in  the  world. 
Some  dim  foreboding  seemed  to  haunt  her, 
something, — she  could  not  have  told  you  what, 
— made  her  feel  that  this  affair  was  not  trivial, 
— that  this  present  attitude  did  matter.  She  was 
not  taking  it  too  seriously ;  she  was  sure  of  that. 
And  what  she  wanted  to  do  was  to  say  some- 
thing, and  to  say  it  right  now,  that  would  quiet 
Ralph's  irritable  excitement  about  his  allow- 
ance. All  that  she  could  do  was  to  pray, — and 
what  better  could  she  do  ? 

She  was  resolved,  too,  to  speak  to  her  father 
some  time  before  Ralph  returned  to  college. 

''Ral,  dear,  don't  you  think  you  had  better  go 
Tip  to  the  office  now  ?"  said  Alicia,  glancing  at 
the  clock.  "Just  be  straightforward  with  papa, 
and  show  him  that  it  was  not  from  extrava- 
gance or  carelessness  that  your  allowance 
proved  not  enough,  but  that  a  boy  must  spend 
money  for  something  more  than  books  or 
clothes,  if  he  would  make  friends.  Tell  him 
that  it  is  affecting  your  standing  with  your 
college  mates.  Talk  to  him  as  if  you  were  sure 
of  his  love.  Papa  loves  us  to  treat  him  that 
way." 

Ralph     rose     from     his     seat     reluctantly, 


66  IvALPH  Fabian's  Mistakes 

stretched  himself,  and  at  last  went  out,  followed 
by  his  sister's  wistful  eyes. 

What  a  nice  place  this  world  would  be,  Alicia 
thought,  if  everybody  we  loved  loved  each 
other,  and  if  we  all  did  just  the  right  thing  at 
the  right  time!  She  smiled  at  the  idle  wish. 
''There  would  be  no  need  of  another  heaven 
then,"  she  sighed. 

In  the  meanwhile  Ralph  had  walked  briskly 
to  his  father's  office,  for  however  much  he  might 
dread  the  interview,  being  late  would  not  help 
matters. 

He  opened  the  office  door  with  as  much  ease 
of  manner  as  he  could  command,  and  said : 

"Here  I  am,  papa." 

Mr.  Fabian  looked  up  from  his  writing  and, 
seeing  who  it  was,  took  out  from  a  pigeon-hole 
two  letters,  opened  them,  smoothed  them  out 
on  the  desk  Avith  the  same  deliberation,  and  at 
last  said  slowly : 

"Ralph,  I  have  tAvo  l>ills  here,  one  for  eight- 
seA-entv-fivc,   tlje   otlier   for   six-fifty,   from   the 

Bookseller   at  B College.      How  is   that  ? 

Can  you  explain  it  ?" 

Xow,  that  sentence  looks  harmless  enough 
written,  and  even  spoken  might  convey  nothing 
very  disagreeable.  It  would  depend  very  much 
on  the  tone  of  voice  in  which  it  Avas  spoken,  and 
also  on  the  frame  of  mind  in  Avhich  it  found  the 
person  addressed. 

We  know  that  Ralph  Fabian  was  very  sore 


Ealph  Fabian's  Mistakes  67 

in  refei'ence  to  these  bills  or  because  of  tliem. 
What  a  pity  his  father  could  not  have  known 
that !  What  a  lamentable  pity  when  perfect  love 
does  not  cast  out  fear  in  a  child's  heart ! 

Kalph  looked  down,  and  his  face  flushed 
deeply,  but  he  did  not  speak.  He  was  really 
very  much  afraid  of  being  reproved. 

"Did  you  not  understand  that  I  did  not  wish 
you  to  get  anything  on  credit  ?  Why  did  you 
not  pay  these  bills  V 

The  tones  of  his  voice  were  hard  and  his 
manner  more  impatient. 

Tlie  questions  opened  the  closed  mouth  at 
last. 

''Yes,  I  did  understand  you  to  say  so,  sir, 
and  you  surely  must  know  that  I  would  have 
paid  them  if  I  had  the  money.  You  must  know 
that  T  could  not  pay  for  my  books  and  all  the 
incidental  expenses  a  boy  is  obliged  to  meet  on 
the  allowance  you  give  me.  If  a  boy  wants  to 
have  friends  at  college  he  has  to  bear  his  share 
of  the  expenses  for  treats  and, — but,  papa,  you 
know  all  this,  you  have  been  to  college." 

It  was  years  after  this  conversation  that  Mr. 
Fabian  realized  that  his  boy  had  reached  a  cri- 
sis in  his  life  that  morning,  and  that  he  had 
precipitated  it. 

"If"  is  a  little  word,  but  it  suggests  power. 
If  Mr.  Fabian  could  have  remembered  his  own 
boyish   ideas   of  propriety;    if  he   could   have 


68  Ealph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

shown  that  tolerance  that  is  born  of  loving  sym- 
pathy ;  if  he  could  only  have  said  pleasantly : 

''Well,  my  son,  your  father  did  what  he 
thought  was  right,  but  he  may  have  been  mis- 
taken, and  so  will  increase  the  amount,  Ralph 
would,  in  all  probability,  have  said :  ''I'm  sorry 
I  did  not  write  and  tell  you  how  it  w^as,  but, — • 
instead  of  this,  Mr.  Fabian  looked  at  him 
sternly  and  said: 

"There  is  no  excuse  for  your  disobedience, 
and  the  matter  is  aggravated  by  the  fact  that 
you  did  not  write  me  at  once  about  it.  Of 
course  I  shall  pay  the  bills,  but  it  must  not  oc- 
cur again.     I  will  not  pay  another  bill." 

"Then,"  said  Ralph,  stung  by  a  cruel  sense 
of  his  father's  harshness  that  burst  all  barriers 
of  diffidence  or  reserve,  "then,  papa,  I  had  bet- 
ter leave  college  and  go  to  work.  I  cannot  live 
on  that  allowance  and  keep  my  position  in  the 
class  or  fraternity.  Already  some  of  the  boys 
have  given  me  the  cold  shoulder,  and  twice  I 
have  heard  a  boy  speak  of  stinginess,  with  such 
a  significant  glance  as  to  make  sure  that  it  was 
meant  for  me." 

Ralph  was  pale  and  trembling.  Mr.  Fabian 
was  astonished ;  he  had  never  heard  Ralph 
speak  this  way  before.  Still  he  did  not  recog- 
nize the  danger  signal, — this  really  good  Chris- 
tian father! 

"No,  sir,"  he  said,  very  positively,  "you  will 
go  back  to  college  and  learn  to  live  within  your 


RALni  Fabian's  Mistakes  69 

income,   as  hundreds  of  others    have    had    to 

learn.     How  many  bojs  at  B College  have 

as  much  as  that,  or,  indeed,  any  monthly  allow- 
ance at  all ?" 

Ralph  was  silent.  The  boy's  heart  was  hot 
with  despair  of  his  father's  sympathy.  What 
more  could  he  say  ? 

'^Yoii  have  not  answered  my  question,"  said 
his  father  in  a  gentler  tone,  for  he  was  fright- 
ened by  the  look  in  the  boy's  face. 

"There  are  a  number  of  boys  in  college  who 
have  no  allowance,  but  they  are  either  support- 
ing themselves  b}'^  hard  work  or  they  are  bor- 
rowing money  and  getting  hopelessly  into  debt. 
Are  you  willing  that  I  should  work?  People 
know  that  I  am  not  the  son  of  a  poor  man." 

Mr.  Fabian  could  not  detect  any  sarcasm  in 
Ralph's  tone,  but  the  question  galled  him, — per- 
haps his  conscience  gave  him  a  twinge.  Be 
that  as  it  may,  he  was  not  ready  to  acknowledge 
himself  in  the  wrong,  and  said  coldly; 

"Ralph,  you  are  losing  your  temper.  I  think 
that  you  had  better  go  home,  only  remember  I 
shall  expect  you  to  do  just  as  I  have  said.  Go 
back  resolved  to  deny  yourself  if  necessary,  to 
live  within  your  allowance.  T  hope  that  I  shall 
not  have  to  allude  to  this  matter  again." 

Ralph  took  his  hat  and  left  the  office,  a  tu- 
mult of  wounded  pride  and  disappointed  affec- 
tion raging  within  his  breast. 

His  father  did  not  speak  as  if  he  had  one 


70  Kalph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

spark  of  love  for  him,  lie  thought,  and  he  had 
treated  him  as  if  he  were  a  child  and  lackijic; 
iu  honesty  and  obedience.  He  wanted  to  fly 
from  the  town, — he  might  have  done  so  but  for 
the  fact  that  he  did  not  have  one  dollar  in  his 
possession.  A  blessed  thing  it  was  for  him  that, 
as  he  tramped  homeward,  saying  over  and  over, 
"I  nmst  go  away!  I  can't  go  back  to  college 
and  live  this  way!"  his  sister's  face  rose  before 
his  mental  eye,  and  he  seemed  to  hear  her  gen- 
tle, pleading  voice  saying:  "Trust  father, 
Ralph.  He  loves  j'ou,  I  know.  Don't  stop 
loving  him,"  and  unconsciously  he  quickened 
his  step  and  comforted  himself  with  the 
thought : 

"Allie  will  understand.  Allie  will  be  sorry 
for  me !" 

Blame  him  not,  mother-reader,  that  his  heart 
turned  to  his  sister  rather  than  to  his  mother. 
Alicia  was  young,  was  sympathetic, — they  had 
always,  as  she  had  told  him, — "been  chums." 

There  are  mothers  who  readily  understand 
young  hearts,  who  are  quick  to  sympathize 
wnth  tliem,  and  to  stand  in  the  beautiful  posi- 
tion, if  necessary,  of  mediator  between  father 
and  child,  but  Mrs.  Fabian  was  more  wife  than 
mother.  She  loved  her  children  truly,  but  she 
loved  her  husband  more.  She  lacked  that  inde- 
pendence of  character,  which  no  wife  need  sur- 
render, however  devoted, — that  courage  which 
enables  her  to  be  the  helpmeet  God  intended 


Ralph  Fabian^s  Mistakes  71 

licr  to  be.  She  blindly  obeyed  and  a«^veed  with 
ber  husband,  even  when  she  believed  him  mis- 
taken, and  ollrs.  Kalph  Fabian  is  not  the  only 
mother  who  errs  this  vray ! 

The  saddest  thing  about  it  was  that  her  chil- 
dren saw  this  weakness,  and  it  lessened  her  in- 
fluence with  them. 

When  Ralph  reached  home,  Alicia  was 
watching  for  him  at  the  sitting-room  -window. 
She  had  vaiidy  tried  to  occupy  herself  with 
book  or  embroidery,  and  now,  when  she  saw 
him  coming  slowly  towards  the  house,  she  went 
out  quickly  and  met  him  in  the  hall. 

One  glance  at  his  face  was  suflicient  to  show 
her  that  the  interview  had  been  painful.  She 
placed  a  finger  on  her  lips  for  a  moment,  then 
pointed  up  stairs. 

"I'm  coming  directly,"  she  whispered,  and 
then  went  back  into  the  sitting-room. 


72  Ralph  Fabiak's  Mistakes 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

A  RIFT  IN  THE  CLOUD. 

What  transpired  during  the  time  that  Ralph 
spent  with  his  sister  no  one  else  knew.  Alicia 
told  her  mother  so  much  of  Ralph's  trouble  as 
he  was  willing  for  her  to  know,  and  this  with- 
holding was  not  from  a  desire  to  conceal  things 
so  much  as  to  spare  her  the  pain  of  a  divided 
sympathy,  for  neither  of  them  doubted  that 
their  mother  would  lament  Mr.  Fabian's  sever- 
ity. 

"Xo  good  will  come  of  telling  mamma,  Allie. 
She  never  differs  from  papa,  or,  at  least,  would 
never  tell  him  so." 

Alicia  knew  that  this  was  so;  she  knew  that 
her  mother's  courage  would  not  be  equal  to  re- 
monstrating with  or  even  endeavoring  to  per- 
suade her  father  to  be  more  tolerant.  For  her 
own  part,  she  certainly  intended  to  make  a  gen- 
tle and  respectful  protest  on  the  first  oppor- 
tunity. 

Christmas  would  have  passed  gloomily  at 
Elmhurst,  with  this  cloud  hanging  over  it,  but 
for  the  very  unexpected  appearance  of  their  ac- 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  T3 

quaintance  of  the  previous  summer,  Mr.  Cov- 
ington, of  ^Milwaukee,  -whose  card  was  handed 
iu  the  day  before  Christmas. 

On  her  knees  that  night  Alicia  Fabian 
thanked  God, — not  so  much  on  her  own  account 
as  Ralph's, — for  this  timely  diversion.  There 
are  some  people  who  seem  to  divine  the  very  best 
that  is  in  us  and  draw  it  out.  Mr.  Covington 
was  one  of  this  class.  Ralph  not  only  began  to 
like  him  at  once,  but  he  seemed  to  find  no  trou- 
ble in  talking  to  him,  and  now  that  he  was  a 
visitor  in  llazelton  the  boy  seemed  to  tlirow  off 
his  trouble  and  to  enjoy  assisting  in  his  enter- 
tainment. 

This  only  made  the  days  seem  to  pass  more 
swiftly,  and  on  the  second  day  of  January 
Ralph  found  himself  with    face    turned    once 

more  towards  B College,   and  with  what 

shrinking  and  forbidding  not  even  Alicia  knew. 

The  evening  before  he  left,  as  his  sister 
walked  with  him  down,  to  mammy's  cabin  to 
say  good-bye,  she  laid  her  hand  tenderly  on  his 
arm  and  said: 

"Ral,  whatever  comes,  love  me  and  trust  me. 
Xever  doubt  my  sympathy.  I  want  to  know 
just  what  happens,  and  I  want  to  beseech  you, 
dear,  to  accept  papa's  judgment  and  to  be  brave 
enough  to  tell  the  boys  frankly  why  you  cannot 
join  in  the  suppers  and  other  frolics  that  cost. 
Boys  are  surely  reasonable  enough  to  under- 
stand the  situation;  besides,  I  have  not  a  doubt 


74:  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

that  there  are  others  whose  fathers  are  as  anx- 
ious as  papa  to  train  their  sons  in  economy. 
You  just  can't  help  this,  it  is  your  cross.  Don't 
let  it  make  you  feel  bitterly  to  papa.  Oh,  I 
wish  you  were  a  Christian!  You  could  bear 
vour  troubles  and  annoyances  so  much  better." 

Ralph  did  not  reply,  but  took  it  without  any 
show  of  irritation,  nor  did  he  ever  forget  that 
talk. 

Alicia  had  reason  to  believe,  as  the  months 
passed,  that  he  was  trying  to  become  reconciled 
to  his  restrictions,  for  the  tone  of  his  letters  was 
more  clieerful,  and  only  once  during  the  long 
session  did  he  allude  to  the  fact  that  he  was 
obliged  to  deny  himself. 

"The  boys  are  nearly  all  going  over  to  G 

at  Easter  to  see  a  big  game  of  ball  between  the 
U.  N.  C.'s  and  our  team,  but,  of  course,  I  can't 
go.  I  had  two  expensive  books  to  buy  last 
month." 

A  few  days  after  that  Alicia  enclosed  a  five 
dollar  bill  in  her  letter  and  wrote  that  it  was  an 
''Easter  gift."  She  was  a  little  nervous  about 
sending  it,  but  satisfied  her  conscience  by  say- 
ing: '"Surely  papa  would  not  mind  my  making 
Ral  a  present  of  money  occasionally,"  but 
though  Ralph  thanked  her  he  did  not  go  to  the 
ball  game  nor  did  he  spend  that  money.  His 
allowance  generally  came  to  him  at  the  first  of 
the  month  and  was  promptly  paid  out  for  his  in- 
cidental expenses. 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  75 

Although  Ralph  was  too  moody  to  be  popular 
with  his  classmates,  most  of  whom  were  pretty 
wild  fellows,  yet  they  evidently  respected  him, 
for  he  was  elected  Secretary  and  Treasurer  of 
the  class. 

Mr.  Fabian  in  his  heart  was  really  gratified 
not  only  at  the  good  reports  that  had  been  sent 
in,  but  to  know  that  Ralph  had  been  elected  to 
this  office,  which  indicated, — satisfactorily,  he 
thought, — that  Ralph's  small  allowance  had  not 
interfered  with  his  gaining  the  respect  of  his 
fellow  students. 

If  he  could  only  have  expressed  that  gratifi- 
cation to  Ralph!  If  he  could  only  have  mani- 
fested his  sympathy  with  his  boy,  how  much  it 
would  have  helped  to  blot  out  the  bitter  recollec- 
tion of  that  interview  in  his  office ;  but  Mr.  Fa- 
bian's letters  were  concise,  business  communica- 
tions, always  signed,  "Your  affectionate  father," 
— nothing  more. 

He  knew  he  loved  his  son,  but  he  con- 
sidered what  he  called  his  "faithful  and  un- 
compromising adherence"  to  his  parental  obli- 
gations as  the  best  proof  of  that  love,  and  so 
he  let  chance  after  chance  slip. 

The  boy's  mother  and  sister  would  "do  the 
demonstrative."  The  old  Fabian  reticence 
came  bobbing  up  again !  He  knew  in  his  soul 
that  he  had  erred  in  speaking  to  Ralph  as  he 
had  done,  but  he  could  not  acknowledge  this, 


•76  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

he  thought,  without  endangering  his  authority 
in  the  family. 

It  is  scarcely  to  be  wondered  at  that  Ralph 
looked  forward  to  his  return  home  for  the  long 
vacation  with  feelings  not  wholly  unmixed  with 
dread. 

What  would  his  father  expect  him  to  do? 
He  had  studied  hard;  he  was  ready  for  a  rest, 
for  sleeping  and  for  loafing. 

Alicia  had  been  throwing  out  delicious  sug- 
gestions of  a  mouth  in  the  mountains — but  may- 
be his  father  would  not  want  him  to  go.  These 
were  the  thoughts  that  filled  his  mind  as  he  was 
borne  swiftly  homeward. 

He  reached  Hazelton  just  about  sundown, 
and  found  his  sister  waiting  for  him  in  a  pretty 
phaeton  which  her  father  had  recently  given 
her,  and  of  which  she  had  not  written  because 
she  wanted  to  surprise  him. 

It  was  a  joyous,  loving  greeting  that  he  re- 
ceived, and  it  warmed  the  boy's  heart  into  a 
responsive  gladness. 

''This  is  fine,  Allie,  fine!  Your  coming  for 
me." 

He  had  shrunk  from  a  possible  drive  home 
wnth  his  father. 

"Yes,  it  is  nice.  The  phaeton  is  lovely,  and 
the  pony  is  a  dear,  but  your  being  here  is  the 
best  of  all!  You  know  this  is  my  very  own, 
and  what  splendid  times  we  will  have  together ! 
There's  so  much  to  say,  I  hardly  know  where 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  77 

to  begin."  Slie  patted  his  hand  and  gave  it  a 
little  squeeze,  and  inch  by  inch  the  boy's  reserve 
was  thawed,  until  at  last  he  actually  said : 

"I  didn't  know  how  much  I  wanted  to  see 
you  and  to  hear  you  talk  till  now." 

Alicia  turned  her  eyes,  shining  with  love  and 
appreciation,  and  said: 

''Me  too!"  at  which  they  both  laughed,  for  it 
had  been  Ralph's  favorite  way  of  expressing  ap- 
proval when  he  was  a  tiny  fellow. 

"Ral,"  Alicia  said,  when  they  had  driven 
beyond  the  limits  of  paved  streets  and  noisy 
traffic,  ''be  the  same  bright,  glad  fellow  you 
are  now  when  we  get  to  the  house.  Mamma  is 
all  excitement  over  your  home-coming;  papa  is 
glad,  too,  and  I  believe  that  your  uncomplain- 
ing behavior  this  year,   and  your  fine  reports 

have  added  respect  to  love.  President  S has 

written  most  kindly  of  you  as  a  'good  student,' 
and  papa  is  proud  of  his  boy,  I'm  sure."  Ralph 
looked  off, — his  face  overshadowed  for  a  mo- 
ment,— then,  turning  towards  her,  he  said: 

"Allie,  I  would  like  to  believe  all  you  say,  but 
do  you  know  that  I  can't  remember  that  papa 
has  ever  either  caressed  me  or  praised  me  for 
anything  since  I  was  a  small  child  ?  Do  you 
know  that  I  have  often  wondered  why  he  could 
not  love  me,  his  only  son  ?" 

Alicia  knew  that  the  facts  which  Ralph  had 
stated  could  not  be  disputed,  but  she  felt  sure 
that  her  father  loved  Ralph  and  was  as  proud 


78  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

of  him  as  his  righteous  sonl  would  allow,  and 
she  deplored  more  deeply  than  ever  that  reti- 
cence which,  but  for  her  loving  audacity,  she 
might  have  interpreted  as  Ralph  had  done. 
This  was  what  Alicia  thought;  what  she  said 
was : 

"Oh,  what  a  naughty,  uncharitable  'think' 
that  is !  Spit  it  out  quickly,  Ral,  and  never 
have  another  like  it!  If  you  could  see  papa's 
amused  interest  in  some  of  the  jokes  you  have 
^^Titten  me,  and  the  pleased  expression  on  his 
face  when  mamma  or  I  have  praised  your  epis- 
tolary improvement, " 

'■^Yes — if — but  I  tell  you,  Allie,  I  under- 
stand better  than  I  ever  did  why  you  preach, — 
and  I  can  say  practice  too,  expressing  affec- 
tion." 

"Well,  dear,"  said  his  sister,  pleased  to  hear 
him  say  so,  "if  you  are  convinced,  live  up  to 
your  convictions.  When  you  get  home,  show 
mamma  you  are  glad  to  see  her,  and  kiss  papa 
and  tell  him  you  are  glad  to  be  at  home  again. 
Oh,  let's  all  be  loving  and  happy  together  once 
more." 

Ralph's  face  flushed,  he  was  scarcely  pre- 
pared to  demonstrate  his  convictions  so  prac- 
tically, or  so  promptly,  but  when  they  reached 
the  gate  he  sprang  out  to  open  it  for  Alicia, 
then  ran  across  the  lawn  to  the  house,  where 
his  father  and  mother  were  waiting  to  greet 
him,  and  kissed  them  both.    His  mother's  heart 


Ealph  Fabian's  Mistakes  T9 

was  full  of  joy  and  pride,  and  Ralph  had  but 
little  idea  of  how  much  that  warm  greeting  had 
to  do  with  it. 

Mr.  Fabiau  was  as  demonstrative  as  it  was 
possible  for  him  to  be,  but  this  grace  of  affection- 
ateness  requiring  as  constant  exercise  as  the 
muscles, — it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  he 
foimd  it  rather  hard  work  to  move  easily  in  this 
matter ! 

The  Fabians  spent  a  month  at  Blowing  Rock 
in  the  midsummer,  to  the  great  satisfaction  of 
the  whole  family,  and  by  a  singular  coinci- 
dence (?)  found  Mr,  Covington  there,  who,  by 
the  way,  was  now  Mr.  Covington  of  Carolina, 
having  invested  largely  in  some  Carolina  min- 
ing stock  and  having  removed  with  his  sister  to  a 
Southern  home. 

-  It  was  no  longer  a  secret  that  he  was  a  suitor 
of  the  lovely  and  popular  Miss  Fabian.  Some 
old-fashioned  woman  said  of  him  that  he  was 
"a  gentleman-lover."  She  probably  did  not  in- 
tend to  reflect  on  others  in  the  same  situation ! 

Desperately  in  earnest,  he  yet  bore  himself 
with  dignity,  and  with  deference  to  all  women. 
Attentive  and  considerate  to  all,  yet  never  los- 
ing sight  of  the  chief  desire  of  his  life,  namely, 
to  win  Alicia  Fabian  for  his  wife.  He  had  al- 
ready found  out  that  he  would  have  to  contend 
with  the  strong  sectional  prejudices  which  clung 
to  Mr.  Fabian  like  barnacles,  but  with  a  large- 
hearted  charity  and  the  patience  born  of  sincere 


80  Ralph  Fabian's  ^Mistakes 

love,  be  hoped  to  ^vin  Mr.  Fabian,  as  he  hoped 
to  win  Alicia. 

If  tliis  was  to  be  the  love-story  of  Eeginald 
Covington,  it  wonld  make  interesting  reading, 
at  least  for  some  of  onr  readers,  with  its  lights 
and  shadows  and  its  happy  ending,  but  we  set 
out  to  tell  the  story  of  Ealph  Fabian,  and, 
Avhile  we  have  given  a  good  deal  of  family  his- 
tory, it  has  only  been  in  order  that  the  reader 
might  better  nnderstand  the  formative  influ- 
ences in  the  boy's  life. 

Henceforth  we  will  follow  him  through  very 
different  scenes,  and  as  he  walks  beneath  the 
shadow  of  bitter  experiences,  where  all  that 
seemed  left  to  him  of  joy  and  gladness  was  the 
memory  of  his  sister's  love  and  her  abiding 
faith  in  him. 


!  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  81 


CHAPTER  IX. 

A   CRISIS. 

Ralph  Fabian  sat  cowering  over  a  poor  fire 
in  his  room  in  the  dusk  of  a  dreary  evening  in 
January;  and  although  he  had  a  book  in  his 
hands,  he  was  gazing  gloomily  across  it  i'.iCo  the 
coals. 

He  had  just  come  in  from  the  Post  Office 
without  the  letter  from  his  father,  wliich  he 
had  been  expecting  for  over  a  week. 

'^If  Allie  had  been  at  home,"  he  thought, 
"this  would  not  have  occurred.  I  can  see  now 
why  papa  managed  to  remem])er  so  well  the 
first  two  years ;  she  reminded  him.  He  brags 
on  his  integrity,  but  he  is  testing  mine;  he  is 
keeping  me  from  settling  an  honest  debt  by  his 
forgetfulness." 

A  year  had  passed  since  that  happy  vacation 
of  which  we  read  in  chapter  eight,  a  year  that 
had  proved  an  eventful  one  in  the  homo  of  the 
Fabians,  for  in  that  time  j\Ir.  Fabian  had  given 
liis  somewhat  reluctant  consent,  and  Alicia  now 
wrote  her  name  Covington  instead  of  Fabian, 
and  Elmhurst  seemed  lonely  enough,  save  when 


82  Ealph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

she  came  over  on  a  flyiug  visit  and  let  a  part 
of  her  sunniness  diffuse  itself  through  its  quiet 
rooms. 

What  made  matters  worse  for  Ralph  was 
that,  without  intending  it,  he  had  gone  beyond 
his  usual  monthly  allowance,  and  the  knowl- 
edge of  his  father's  particularity  made  this  very 
galling.  While  he  sat  chafiug  under  the  dis- 
appointment, there  was  a  knock  at  his  door. 
He  straightened  up  and  tried  to  say  ^'Come  in" 
cheerfully,  but  the  visit  proved  to  be  the  straw 
that  was  to  break  the  camel's  back. 

It  was  the  custom  at  B College  to  have 

special  exercises,  including  an  elaborate  ban- 
quet, on  what  was  known  as  Founder's  Day, 
and  that  was  just  one  month  off. 

The  two  men  who  entered  the  room  in  re- 
sponse to  Ralph's  invitation  were  members  of 
his  class,  though  not  personal  friends.  They 
were  on  the  Committee  of  Arrangements  for  the 
Banquet. 

Ralph  offered  them  chairs  and  rej^lenished 
the  smouldering  fire. 

"No,  we  cannot  sit  down,"  said  Langston, 
the  chairman  of  the  committee,  "we  have  come 
to  get  your  subscription  to  the  Banquet.  We 
are  behind  in  collecting,  and  hope  you  can  give 
liberally." 

K'ow,  if  they  had  tried,  as  we  know,  they 
could  hardly  have  found  a  more  inopportune 
time  to  have  called  on  Ralph,   and  the  hope 


Ralph  Fabians 's  jMistakes  83 

that  he  would  ffive  liherallv  made  him  wince 
as  if  stmck  with  a  lash.  In  an  nnhappy  mood 
at  the  best,  approached  by  boys  who  had  not 
only  spent  money  freely,  but  who  had  again 
and  again  insinuated  in  his  presence  that  there 
were  sting}'  men  in  the  class,  Ralph  conld 
stand  it  no  longer, — he  rose  to  his  feet,  pale, 
and  trembling  with  anger,  and  said : 

"I  want  to  say  to  you  fellows,  for  the  last 
time,  I  hope,  that  I  expect  to  pay  wdiat  I  con- 
sider proper  as  my  share  of  the  expenses  of  the 
banquet,  and  I  Mall  bring  the  money  when  I 
get  ready.  I  do  not  need  to  be  dunned  for  it, 
and  I  hope  you  will  remember  this." 

"That's  courtesy  for  you,  Davis,"  said 
Langston,  with  a  rude  laugh,  to  his  companion. 
"I  think  we  had  better  get  out  of  this." 

"I  think  so,  too,"  said  Ralph,  "and  when  you 
come  here  again,  gentlemen" — with  an  empha- 
sis on  the  last  word — "don't  forget  to  bring 
your  own  courtesy  along."  ■ 

The  boys  w^ent  out,  and  had  been  probably 
gone  a  half  hour,  when  there  was  a  low,  timid 
knock  on  the  door.  Ralph,  who  was  trying  to 
blot  out  the  last  interview  by  studying,  called 
out,  a  little  impatiently,  "Come  in!"  but  there 
was  no  response,  and  he  opened  the  door  and 
found  there  a  small  colored  boy,  whom  he  rec- 
ognized as  the  son  of  his  washerwoman.  ' 
"Mamma   says   couldn't  you   sen'    her    the 


84  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

money  for  your  wasliin'  ?     She's  jes'  'bleeged 
to  have  it  to-night  to  go  on  her  rent," 

''Wait  out  here  awhile,"  he  replied,  and  ther 
went  back  and  studied  the  fire.     He  had  not 
more  than  a  quarter  in  his  pocket,  which  he 
kept  there  as  a  mascot,  and  he  owed  her  really 
for  two  weeks'  washing.  Locked  in  his  trunk  was 
a  five  dollar  bill  which  Alicia  had  enclosed  in 
a  recent  letter,  but  which,  with  the  boy's  mor- 
bid sense  of  honor,  he  felt  that  he  ought  not  to 
use.     He  had  taken  his  father  literally  when 
he  said:  "Your  allowance  I  think  quite  suflS- 
cient  for  your  reasonable  expenses,  and  there 
will  be  no  excuse  for  your  borrowing  money." 
He  imagined  that  his  father  would  think  his 
sister  was  aiding  him  in  disobedience  if  he  ac- 
cepted her  gift,  and  expected  to  return  it.    Still, 
goaded  as  he  was  by  the  insinuations,  or  fancied 
insinuations   of   Langston   and   Davis,     if    his 
room-mate  and  friend,  Curtis,  had  been  pres- 
ent he   would   doubtless   have   borrowed   from 
him,  but  he  was  away  on  business,  and  there 
was  not  another  boy  with  whom  Ralph  Fabian 
felt   sufficiently   free   to   have    borrowed    fifty 
cents ! 

As  he  sat  perplexed  and  pondering  how  to  re- 
lieve the  situation,  his  eye  rested  upon  the  desk 
across  the  room  where  the  class  money  was  de- 
posited. He  remembered  that  at  the  last  meet- 
ing some  one  had  brought  change  to  the  amount 
of  fifty  cents. 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  85 

"My  letter  will  surely  come  to-morrow,"  he 
muttered.     "I     can't    let     that     poor     woman 
^  suffer.      I     cannot   break    the    bill    Allie    sent 

f  me.     I  can  return  the  fifty  cents  before  another 

class  meeting,"  he  thought,  and  without  hesi- 
tating longer,  he  crossed  the  room,  unlocked 
the  drawer,  took  out  the  fifty  cents,  locked  the 
drawer,  and,  walking  with  a  quick  step,  lie 
crossed  the  room  and  went  to  the  door. 

"Tell  your  mother  that  I'll  pay  her  tlie  rest 
to-morrow,  I  hope." 

At  heart  Ralph  Fabian  was  as  tenacious  of 
his  integrity  and  honesty  as  his  father.  It  was 
a  pity  that  Mr.  Fabian  could  not  have  known 
and  have  trusted  the  boy  not  to  be  extravagant. 
If  he  could  have  looked  down  the  years  and 
have  seen  how  far-reaching  in  their  effect  his 
strictures  were  to  be,  even  his  stern  purpose  of 
rectitude  might  have  been  changed. 

Ralph  finished  the  last  of  his  studies,  and  by 
eleven  o'clock  was  asleep  and  dreaming  of  the 
relief  that,  with  the  hopefulness  of  youth,  he 
would  surely  get  in  the  morning!  Little  did 
he  suspect  that  tliere  were  stealthy  steps  under 
his  window  at  the  very  time  that  he  took  out 
the  money  from  the  class  treasury ! 

Months  before  this  words  had  passed  between 
Ralph  and  Benton  Ciscoe  in  the  settlement  of 
some  class  dues,  and  the  fellow  had  treasured 
the  affront  to  be  revenged  some  day,  and  so, 
while  Ralph  was  falling  into  a  troubled  sleep, 


8G  Ralph  Fabiaa^'s  Mistakes 

Ciscoe  was  recounting  in  mysterious  whispers 
the  incident  we  liave  related — and  had  chosen 
Fred  Langston  as  his  confidant! 

As  Fabian  crossed  the  Campus  to  the  chapel 
the  next  mornin<T;  he  was  too  absorbed  in  his 
own  thoughts  to  notice  the  manner  of  the  boys 
he  met. 

While  inclined  from  childhood  to  moods  and 
whims, — the  sunnincss  of  Alicia  had  been  his 
preserver, — and  suuniness  just  now  would  have 
saved  this  fellow  years  of  misery — if  only  some 
one  had  known  it.  This  morning,  as  he  but- 
toned his  overcoat  closer  to  keep  out  a  bitter 
north  wind  that  Avas  blowing,  his  heart  was 
filled  with  anything  but  sunniness  and  peace. 
Well  formed,  with  a  shapely  head,  a  strong 
face,  apparently  in  perfect  health,  he  ought  to 
have  been  a  gay-hearted,  jovial  fellow.  Alas, 
for  us  that  the  sound  body  does  not  always 
carry  a  sound  mind  and  a  sweet  spirit ! 

When  the  boys  repaired  to  the  various  class 
rooms,  Ralph  joined  Phil  Marston,  the  Presi- 
dent of  his  class,  and  a  man  to  whom  he  had 
always  been  partial,  and  he  spoke  to  Marston 
in  tones  of  unwonted  cheerfulness,  but  Mars- 
ton, usually  inclined  to  be  friendly,  responded 
stiffly,  and  Ral]di,  as  keenly  susceptible  to 
slight  changes  of  manner  as  a  barometer  to  sub- 
tle atmospheric  changes,  walked  the  rest  of  the 
^x&y  to  the  class  room  in  silence. 

There  was  much  that  was  noble,  and  even 


Kalph  Fabian's  Mistakes 


87 


that  was  lovable,  in  this  boy — but  it  needed  to 
l)e  drawn  out.  If  his  mother  liad,  even  by  se- 
vere measures  if  needs  be,  conquered  his  moodi- 
ness when  he  was  a  child, — if  his  father  had 
taught  him  to  love  him  and  to  speak  frankly  to 
him, — rather  than  to  fear  him — If !  If ! 

Happily  the  moulding  of  his  character, 
though  it  required  sharp  instruments,  was  in 
the  hands  of  the  Great  Sculptor  who  never  for- 
gets to  love  us  while  He  moulds  us ! 

All  through  that  day,  Kalph  was  made  to 
feel  that  "something  was  up,"  as  he  would  have 
expressed  it.  He  could  scarcely  have  explained 
why  this  impression  gained  in  strength  as  the 
day  passed;  indeed,  he  could  not,  for  we  must 
remember  that  he  had  no  idea  that  he  had  been 
seen  when  he  borrowed  the  money.  What  he 
inclined  to  think  was  that  Langston  and  Davis 
had  repeated  what  had  passed  between  them. 

As  evening  drew  near  he  had  worked  himself 
up  to  such  a  pitch  of  nervous  irritability  that 
he  could  not  fix  his  attention  on  his  books;  he 
found  himself  continually  composing  the  letter 
he  would  send  his  father  by  the  next  mail  if 
by  any  possibility  the  check  should  not  come. 

A  half -hour  before  train  time  he  went  down 
to  the  station.  He  was  not  in  the  habit  of  loaf- 
ing there,  for  it  was  the  favorite  rendezvous  of 
the  noisier  boys,  especially  the  Freshmen,  who 
gathered  there   and  were  ready  to  board  the 


88  Kalpii  Fabia:n's  Mistakes 

train  and  to  shake  hands  with  and  to  claim  kin 
■with  the  passengers. 

Ralph  found  a  few  boys,  who,  like  himself, 
were  eagerly  awaiting  their  mail,  and  with 
them  he  walked  rapidly  to  the  Post  OiSce  as 
soon  as  the  carrier  started  from  the  station. 

Even  with  the    two    hundred    students    of 

B College    included,    the   distribution   of 

the  village  mail  was  soon  finished,  and  Ralph, 
on  receiving  his  mail,  saw  with  almost  passion- 
ate annoyance,  that  a  letter  from  his  sister  and 
a  paper  was  all  that  the  box  contained  for  him. 
lie  loved  Alicia  devotedly,  but  just  now  he 
could  have  torn  her  letter  to  shreds.  Well  for 
him  that  he  did  not,  as  the  next  twenty-four 
hours  proved. 

It  w^as  nearly  dark.  He  did  not  care  to  read 
his  letter  in  the  noisy  crowd  congregated  in  the 
Post  Office,  and  walked  quickly  towards  his 
boarding-house,  for  the  supper-bells  were  ring- 
ing all  over  the  village. 

On  the  bulletin  board  which  hung  by  the 
front  door  of  the  boarding-house  he  saw  a  no- 
tice posted,  and  as  the  light  from  the  hanging 
lamp  shone  full  upon  it,  he  read: 

''There  will  be  a  called  meeting  of  tlie  Jun- 
ior class  at  eight  o'clock  sharp  at  the  Hall  of 
the  Phi  Society. 

"By  order  of  the  President, 

"P.  Marston." 

He  read  it  over  and  then  said  ma^'be  it  is  an 


Raxph  Fabian's  Mistakes  89 

old  notice  or  a  trick.  A  mooting  called,  and 
he,  the  Secretary  and  Treasurer,  by  whom  the 
notices  were  usually  posted,  reading  of  it  on 
the  bulletin-board  for  the  first  time.  He  was 
stunned  for  a  moment,  but  quickly  recovered 
himself,  and  going  in  to  the  table  made  a  feint 
at  eating  his  supper,  but  there  was  a  choking 
sensation  that  made  it  impossible. 

He  said  something — he  scarcely  knew  what, 
to  the  boy  next  to  him,  who  happened  to  be  a 
Sophomore,  and  a  friend  of  Curtis,  his  room- 
mate. It  was  a  relief  to  find  somebody  who 
would  talk  pleasantly  about  trifles,  but  he  was 
beginning  to  feel  curious  about  Alicia's  letter; 
perhaps,  he  thought,  it  may  explain  papa's  si- 
lence. As  the  majority  of  the  boys  had  left 
table,  he  opened  the  letter  at  last,  and  as  he  did 
so  a  five  dollar  bill  opened  out. 

"I  wish  Allie  would  not  send  me  any  more 
of  Covington's  money,"  he  muttered,  and  his 
face  burned — poor,  proud  boy  !  He  might  have 
comforted  himself  by  remembering  that  his 
father  still  gave  to  Alicia  her  usual  allowance, 
but  Ralph  was  in  no  condition  to  be  comforted 
in  any  way. 

He  had  expected  to  writ^  to  his  father  and  to 
mail  the  letter  on  his  way  to  the  meeting.  It 
was  now  a  few  minutes  of  seven,  and  he  hurried 
to  his  room,  kindled  his  fire,  lighted  his  lamp, 
and  wrote: 


90  Ealph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

Deae  Papa  :  It  is  now  twelve  days*  past  the 
time  vou  usually  send  my  check,  and  I  have 
never  heard  from  yon.  I  am  sure  you  cannot 
imagine  how  annoying  this  is — all  the  more 
since  you  do  not  allow  me  to  borrow  even  for  a 
few  days. 

I  had  an  insultinsj  call  for  mv  share  of  the 
expenses  of  our  banquet  last  night,  and  not  a 
dollar  to  pay  it.  I  shall  be  compelled  to  bor- 
row if  I  do  not  hear  from  you  by  to-morrow's 
mail.  Yours  respectfully, 

Ralph  M.  Fabian. 

He  put  the  letter  into  his  pocket  to  mail  on 
his  way  to  the  hall,  for,  of  course,  he  was  going, 
though  he  shrank  from  doing  so  unutterabh\ 
As  he  glanced  up  at  the  mantel-piece  his  eye 
was  arrested  by  an  envelope  addressed  to  him. 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  91 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE    FIEST    MISTAKE. 

He  snatched  the  letter,  and  tearing  it  open, 
found  it  to  be  a  formal  notitication  that  there 
would  be  an  important  meeting  of  his  class  in 
the  Phi  Hall,  and  all  were  earnestly  requested 
to  attend.  This,  without  a  word  of  explanation, 
was  signed  by  the  president  of  the  class. 

What  did  it  all  mean  ?  This  business  of  no- 
tifying the  class  of  a  meeting  was  the  Secre- 
tary's, by  order  of  the  President. 

Ralph  glanced  up  at  the  clock,  more  impa- 
tient tlian  ever,  and  more  curious  to  have  the 
mystery  explained.  It  was  a  few  minutes  of 
eight,  and  with  his  excitement  at  white  heat, 
and  his  nerves  tingling  as  no  healthy  boy's 
should,  he  walked  rapidly  to  the  hall. 

When  he  entered,  with  his  Report  book  and 
his  cash-box  in  hand,  the  room  was  well  filled, 
and  every  eye  was  fixed  on  him.  He  took  his 
seat  with  an  outward  calmness  that  gave  but 
little  indication  of  the  excitement  burning 
witliin. 

The  president  called  the  meeting  to  order  as 


92  Ralph  Fabian^s  Mistakes 

soon  as  Ralph  was  seated,  tlien,  with  hesitation 
and  evident  embarrassment,  he  said  that  before 
he  proceeded  to  business  he  wished  to  say  that 
his  relations  to  the  other  officers  of  the  class 
had  always  been  pleasant,  that  he  could  say  that 
with  "malice  towards  none,  with  charity  to  all," 
he  had  sought  only  the  best  interests  of  the 
class.  "But," — he  hesitated, — "it  becomes  my 
painful  duty  and  is  the  cause  of  this  called 
meeting,  to  ask  the  resignation  of  the  Secretary 
and  Treasurer." 

The  words  were  scarcely  out  of  his  mouth  be- 
fore Ealpli  Fabian  was  on  his  feet,  his  face 
white,  his  eves  burning  like  fires. 

"I  gladly  resign  the  office  which  I  never 
sought,  but  I  demand  of  you  the  reason  for  ask- 
ing my  resignation." 

A  smile  passed  over  the  faces  of  the  majority 
of  the  men  present,  and  there  was  some  whisper- 
ing in  the  rear. 

Ralph,  goaded  by  the  air  of  mystery  that 
liimg  over  the  room,  repeated  his  demand. 

In  reply,  the  president  said  in  very  signifi- 
cant tones : 

"We  would  like  to  examine  your  books." 

In  a  moment  the  object  of  the  meeting  be- 
came apparent  to  the  boy,  and  an  agony  of 
shame  overwhelmed  him.  He  saw  now  the 
evil  consequence  of  what  at  the  time  had 
seemed  a  perfectly  innocent  act,  and  there 
flashed  into  his  mind  the  thought  that  it  would 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  93 

have  been  far  better  to  have  used  the  money 
Alicia  had  sent  him,  for  it  was  really  his  own, 
though  his  pride  had  kept  him  from  owning  it. 

He  handed  the  books  over  to  the  president, 
and  then  rising  and  facing  the  class,  said : 

''Gentlemen," — with  an  emphasis  on  the 
word  which  made  more  than  one  man  lower  his 
eyes, — "at  our  last  meeting,  you  will  remember, 
there  was  seven  dollars  and  fifty  cents ;  if  you 
will  have  the  money  counted,  you  will  find  seven 
dollars  in  the  box,  and  now  let  me  make  a 
statement  of  facts.  Two  nights  ago  my  washer 
sent  me  a  pitiful  request  for  fifty  cents  due 
her.  My  usual  monthly  allowance  had  not 
come,  I  had  but  a  quarter  in  my  pocket-book, 
the  woman's  need  was  urgent.  If  Curtis  had 
been  here  I  would  have  borrowed  from  him.  I 
remembered  that  there  was  fifty  cents  in  the 
treasury,  and  I  borrowed  that  in  the  confident 
expectation  of  returning  it  the  next  day.  My 
check  has  not  come  yet,  or  the  fifty  cents  would 
not  be  missing." 

There  was  some  hissing  and  scraping  of  feet 
as  he  said  "borrowed,"  which  the  president 
promptly  and  sternly  rebul^ed. 

"Who  saw  me  take  that  money,"  continued 
Ralph.  "I  do  not  know.  I  was  in  my  room 
and  supposed  myself  alone.  He  doubtless  calls 
himself  a  gentleman.  I  call  him  a  low,  sneak- 
ing scoundrel,  and  I  ask  him  to  stand  up." 


9i  Ealph  FABIA^''s  ]\Iistakes 

His  eyes  flashed,  his  face  burned,  he  was  tho 
livini?  embodiiiient  of  indignant  honesty. 

"I  did  wrong, — I  see  now, — but  his  act  was 
contemptible." 

He  sat  down  amid  absolute  silence,  save  for 
the  ticking  of  the  large  clock  in  the  corner. 

Moving  forAvard  to  the  President's  table,  he 
unlocked  the  box  and  emptied  its  contents  on 
the  table. 

"Count  the  money,  if  you  please." 

The  money  was  counted  and  proved  to  bo 
just  seven  dollars. 

Ralph  drew  off  his  watch,  and  placing  it  be- 
side the  cash-box,  said: 

"I  pledge  my  watch,  valued  at  twenty-five 
dollars,  to  return  the  fifty  cents  I  borrowed, 
or,  as  the  gentlemen  of  the  class  choose  to  put 
it,  stole !" 

Saying  this  he  turned  and  left  the  hall,  and 
Philip  Marston — the  other  officers — indeed,  the 
whole  class,  were  stunned  into  silence.  But 
only  for  aMhile,  for  first  one  and  then  another, 
and  then  a  third  began  to  realize  the  outrage 
that  had  been  committed. 

Carlisle,  one  of  the  most  brilliant  men  in 
the  class,  sprang  to  his  feet. 

"]\rr.  President! — .AFarston!"  he  cried,  "for 
God's  sake  send  after  Fabian.  Call  him  back ! 
I  will  go.  You  ought  to  go  with  me.  This  is 
a  cruel  shame,  and  a  blot  on  our  class  honor." 

"Stop  a  minute,"  faltered  ^farston,  revealing 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  95 

the  "weakness  of  his  character,  "I  did  what  I 
thought  best  for  the  good  of  the  class.  I  car- 
ried out  the  will  of  the  majority,  I'm  sure.  Fa- 
bian had  no  business  to  take  the  thing  up  so 
hotly  or  to  leave  so  abruptly." 

Grey,  another  prominent  member  of  the 
class,  rose: 

"The  class,"  he  said  quietly,  "would  like  to 
know  more  of  the  facts  in  the  case.  How  did 
you  get  hold  of  the  information  ?  Who  saw 
Fabian  take  out  the  money  ?  And  how  did  he 
happen  to  see  him  ?  Fabian  says  he  was  alone 
in  his  room.  How  did  the  fellow  happen  to 
see  him?  Fabian  may  not  be  socially  inclined, 
he  may  not  belong  to  the  jolly  crowd,  but  he  is 
a  gentleman  and  the  son  of  a  gentleman." 

This  speech  was  loudly  applauded  by  at  least 
a  part  of  his  audience,  but  the  hesitation  of 
Marston  had  strengthened  those  who  had  begun 
the  ungenerous  attack,  and  the  applause  was 
followed  by  a  low  growl  of  discontent,  and  the 
opportunity  for  action  was  lost. 

Marston  rose  to  say: 

"I  don't  know  that  I  am  called  to  say  who 
told  me — the  fact  is  so.  Fabian  did  take,  or 
borrow,  as  he  calls  it,  the  fifty  cents.  He  says 
he  did.  You  all  know  that  it  is  a  bad  prece- 
dent, and  that  such  a  man  is  not  qualified  for 
the  office  of  treasurer." 

"All  that  is  true,  but  you  owed  it  to  him  to 
interview  him  privately  first.     What  he  said 


90  Ralph  Fabiaa's  Mistakes 

before  the  class  needed  only  to  be  said  to  you, 
and," — he  turned  and  looked  into  the  faces  of 
the  boys, — "and  the  man  who  peeked  and  told 
on  him  is  no  more  fitted  to  belong  to  a  class  of 
gentlemen  than  you  consider  Fabian  to  be  sec- 
tary." 

Carlisle  sat  dowTi  amid  some  applause. 

"Mr.  President,"  said  one  of  the  most  con- 
servative men  in  the  class,  "I  move  that  you 
proceed  to  business  or  adjourn  this  meeting," 
and  Marston  followed  the  suggestion  and  ad- 
journed the  meeting. 

In  the  meanwhile  Ralph  walked  back  to  his 
room  with  his  mind  in  a  chaotic  state  of  per- 
plexity.    One  thing  only  seemed  clear  to  him, — 

that  he  must  leave  B College,  but  where  to 

go  ?  What  would  his  father  say  ?  Where  else 
was  there  to  go  ?  His  heart  cried  out  for  Alicia, 
the  one  person  in  the  world  who  took  him  at 
his  best,  but  to  throw  himself  on  Mr.  Covington' 
would  not  meet  with  his  father's  approval,  nor 
would  it  accord  with  his  own  morbid  pride.  If 
he  waited  to  hear  from  his  father,  he  must  re- 
main in  a  place  now  become  odious  to  him. 

If  B College  had  possessed  the  corps  of 

professors  when  Ralph  Fabian  was  a  student 
that  it  is  so  fortunate  as  to  possess  at  present, 
probably  this  sorrowful  episode  would  not 
have  been  possible,  but  it  was  fully  twenty 
years  ago  that  Ralph  was  a  student  there.  The 
professors  at  that  time  were  fine  scholars,  thor- 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  97 

oiigh  teachers,  and  courteous  to  the  boys  in  the 
class-room,  but  had  never  thouj:!jht  of  loving 
them  as  individuals.  No  one,  from  the  presi- 
dent doAvn,  had  so  interpreted  his  obligations 
to  the  students.  There  was  not  one  there  who 
would  have  thought  of  going  to  Ralph's  room 
and  lovingly  expostulating  with  him  as  to  leav- 
ing, and  so,  Curtis  being  away,  the  gossip,  the 
slander,  being  likely  to  spread,  the  poor  fellow 
acted  for  himself,  and  decided  to  leave  the  next 
morning.  Never  once  did  he  weaver,  after  he 
began  to  pack;  never  once  did  ho  realize  how 
much  grander  it  is  to  stay  and  live  down  an 
evil  report. 

''If  papa  thinks  I  did  wrong  and  is  angry,  I 
will  put  my  pride  in  my  pocket  and  go  to  Cov- 
ington for  advice — that  is  all !" 

He  had  the  ten  dollars  that  his  sister  had  sent 
him,  and  it  was  more  than  euough  to  buy  his 
ticket  home.  After  he  had  finished  packing, 
he  sat  down  and  wrote  Alicia,  telling  her 
frankly  the  wdiole  story ;  not  extenuating  either 
his  mistake  or  his  morbid  pride  in  not  using 
her  gifts,  and  reiterating  the  one  thing,  that 
he  could  not  remain  at  B College,  and  add- 
ing that  he  believed  that  Mr.  Covington  would 
understand  and  pity  him. 

One  other  letter  he  forced  himself  to  write 
that  night,  rising  after  he  had  been  in  bed 
some  time  to  do  it.  It  was  to  the  president 
of  B College.     It  was  to  Ralph  Eabian's 


08  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

credit  that  he  wrote  it,   and  it  made   a  very 

favorable   impression  upon  President    T , 

who  received  it  after  Ralph  had  boarded  the 
train  the  next  morning. 

It  was  simply  a  confession  of  his  mistake, 
of  his  intention  to  leave,  and  why.  He  was 
satisfied,  he  said,  that  he  could  not  derive  any 
good  from  staying.  For  the  story  of  the  class 
meeting  and  of  the  result  he  referred  him  to 
Philip  Marston. 

Oh,  you  who  are  not  morbid,  you  who  are 
grave  and  sensible  or  light-hearted  and  frank, 
despise  not  our  young  hero.  Morbidity  is  the 
child  of  reserve  and  self-love,  and  the  mother 
of  unnumbered  ills,  and  is  to  be  fought  in 
childhood  as  untiringly  by  the  true  mother  as 
dishonesty  or  untruthfulness. 

Out  of  a  troubled  sleep,  in  which  he  was 
haunted  by  his  father's  displeasure,  he  awoke 
quite  early,  and  dressing  himself  he  went  out 
to  find  some  one  to  take  his  trunks  to  the  sta- 
tion before  the  boys  began  to  move  about  the 
village,  and  this  job  finished  he  locked  the  door 
of  his  room,  taking  the  key  to  his  boarding- 
house.  He  expected  that  Curtis  would  return 
by  the  end  of  the  week  at  furthest,  and,  asking 
his  landlady  to  see  her  alone,  he  went  into  her 
room  and  closed  the  door.  Struck  with  his  pal- 
lor, kind-hearted  IMrs.  Brown  said : 

"You  are  ill,  Mr.  Fabian !  What  is  the  mat- 
ter?    Why  did  you  come  out    so    soon?     Sit 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  99 

down,"  she  added  in  such  motherly  tones  as 
quite  to  upset  Ralph's  composure.  However, 
he  had  no  time  to  waste,  and  told  her  the  story 
of  his  trouble  in  a  few  words,  and  that  he  ex- 
pected to  leave  on  the  eight-twenty  train.  "I 
have  not  enough  money  to  pay  you  now,  but 
you  will  trust  me,  I  believe.  You  do  not  think 
nie  dishonest,  Mrs.  Brown?" 

^'Certainly  I  do  not,  my  poor  boy,  and  I  will 
wait  on  you,"  she  replied,  her  sympathetic  eyes 
filling  with  tears  as  she  spoke;  "but,  my  dear 
boy,  why  do  you  go?  Why  not  stay  and  live 
down  that  contemptible  slander  ?  If  you  do 
not,  it  may  give  you  trouble  yet," 

"I  can't!  oh,  I  can't!"  cried  Ralph  so  vehe- 
mently that  Mrs.  Brown  wisely  decided  to  say 
no  more. 

"You  will  want  breakfast  at  once,"  she  said, 
and  bustled  out  to  prepare  it. 

"I  want  you  to  tell  Curtis  what  I  told  you, 
and  to  give  him  this  note  and  key.  I  do  not 
care  whether  anybody  else  understands  or  not." 

He  ate  hurriedly,  and  walked  hurriedly  to 
the  station,  going  early  to  avoid  meeting  any 
boys  who  might  suspect  his  intention. 

The  agent  was  just  opening  up  the  dirty 
waiting  room.  The  fire  in  the  rusty  stove  was 
just  begiiming  to  burn  and  the  room  was  cold 
and  filled  with  the  odor  of  pipes  that  had  been 
smoked  there  the  previous  evening. 

The  agent  gave  Ralph  a  prolonged  stare;  he 


100  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

prided  himself  on  knowing  all  the  B Col- 
lege boys  by  name.  He  stared  because  Ralph 
carried  a  grip. 

**Goin'  off,  Fabian?"  he  asked. 

''Yes." 

''Home?" 

"Yes." 

''How  long'U  you  be  gone  ?" 

"I  don't  know." 

Ralph  was  beginning  to  feel  very  uneasy,  but 
fortunately  some  one  came  in  and  the  agent's 
attention  was  diverted. 

His  ticket  bought,  Ralph  decided  that  he 
"would  be  safer  from  the  stares  and  questions 
of  the  boys  on  the  platform  than  in  the  room, 
and  he  went  out. 

"Hello!  there's  Fabian!"  exclaimed  one  of 
the  Freshmen. 

"Say,  Buddy,"  he  began,  but  just  then  the 
whistle  blew,  the  train  came  steaming  round 
the  curve,  and  in  a  minute  more  Ralph  had 
boarded  it — making  his  first  entirely  independ- 
ent move  in  the  game  of  life. 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  101 


CHAPTER  XI. 

COA' SEQUENCES. 

The  afternoon  was  raw  and  disagreeable,  and 
Mr.  Fabian  had  ordered  I^en  to  bring  the 
buggy  for  him  qnite  early.  He  went  home  op- 
pressed by  a  cold,  and  depressed  by  a  dread  of 
grip. 

It  was  oije  of  those  occasions  when  he  missed 
Alicia's  sprightliness,  for  while  his  wife  was 
devoted  and  thoughtful  of  his  comfort,  she  was 
neitlier  sprightly  nor  tactful. 

She  had  prepared  a  hot  lemonade  when  her 
husband  arrived,  had  his  lounging  robe  and 
slippers  ready,  and  his  large  chair  drawn  near 
a  cheery  fire,  and  her  own  rocker  and  work- 
stand  near  by,  prepared  to  wait  on  him,  and  to 
be  miserable  witli  him  if  he  needed  sympathy, 
not  realizing  that  there  was  a  better  kind  of 
medicine  than  this  for  grip ! 

While  they  sat  silently  by  the  fire,  a  step  was 
heard  on  the  front  piazza. 

'*0h,"  murmured  Mr.  Fabian,  "I'm  not  in 
a  condition  to  see  anybody  to-night,  not  even 
Mr.  Hardman."  Mr.  Hardman  was  his  pastor 
and  warm  friend. 


102  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

But  instead  of  the  expected  ring  at  the  bell, 
the  hall  door  opened,  and  in  a  moment  more 
lialph  entered  the  room. 

"Why,  Ralph!"  exclaimed  both  parents  at 
once. 

"What  is  tlie  matter?"  asked  Mr.  Fabian. 

"Yon  are  sick !"  cried  Mrs.  Fabian,  whose 
watchful  mother-eye  noted  the  boy's  pallor  and 
evident  distress. 

Ralph  stood  silent  for  a  moment,  then  burst 
into  tears !  He  had  fancied,  on  his  weary 
walk  from  the  station,  that  he  knew  just  what 
he  would  say  to  his  father,  but  now  that  he  was 
face  to  face  with  him  words  failed  him  utterly, 
and  the  poor,  hungry,  tired  boy,  with  his  over- 
wrought nerves,  could  only  sink  into  a  chair 
and  weep  like  a  girl! 

His  mother  rushed  to  him,  and  threw  her 
amis  around  him,  and  his  father  rose  from  his 
chair  with  a  face  in  which  wonder  and  irrita- 
tion were  blended.  He  was  always  cross  when 
he  had  a  cold,  and  he  never  could  endure  sus- 
pense. 

"Speak  Ralph !"  he  said  in  a  quick,  hard 
tone,  which  did  not  encourage  the  boy,  who,  rais- 
ing his  pale,  wet  face  from  his  mother's  shoul- 
der, said  in  measured  tones: 

"'I  have  left  B College." 

"Left   B College!"   cried    his    father; 

"and  may  I  ask  why  and  with  whose  permis- 
sion?" 


Ealph  Fabian's  Mistakes  103 


"1^. 


*^rapa/'  replied  Ralph,  with  something  of 
thiit  dignity  of  manner  which  is  born  of  trouble, 
"papa,"  he  repeated  in  a  pleading  voice,  "you 
must  hear  me  through.  Be  patient,  please,  for 
I  need  both  advice  and  sympathy." 

Then  he  told  the  whole  story, — the  failure 
to  receive  his  check  on  time,  the  unexpected 
demands  on  his  purse.  He  told  the  straight- 
forward story,  and  his  father  listened  with  a 
frown  on  his  brow,  but  in  silence,  until  the 
poor  fellow  came  to  the  borrowing  of  the  fifty 
cents  from  the  class  treasury.  Here  Mr.  Fa- 
bian sprang  to  his  feet,  and,  standing  on  the 
rug,  looked  down  into  Ralph's  face,  and  said 
bitterly: 

"It  was  reserved  for  my  son  to  be  the  first 
Fabian  who  ever  took  money  that  did  not  be- 
long  to  him — my  son!" 

Though  Ralph's  face  flushed  at  the  emphasis 
on  "my  son,"  he  continued  his  story;  told  of 
the  President's  demand  for  his  resignation,  of 
the  hisses  and  groans  of  the  boys;  of  his  re- 
solve to  leave  the  place;  of  his  confession  be- 
fore the  class ;  of  his  mistake,  and  of  his  letter 
to  the  President  of  the  college. 

"And  may  I  ask  how  you  got  money  to  re- 
turn home  ?     Did  you  borrow  again  '?*' 

"Oh,  papa!  papa!"  cried  Ealph,  with  his 
eyes  swimming  in  tears,  '  don'V  talk  tA  mc  tliia 
way!     You  may  regret  il  fjfa^  da^\^ 


104  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

The  boy  sobbed  and  stood  unsteadily,  then 
dropped  again  in  his  chair. 

Mrs.  Fabian  was  white  and  trembling,  and 
torn  by  divided  sympathy. 

Wiping  his  eyes,  Ralph  answered  his  father's 
question,  and  told  him  that  twice  Alicia  had 
sent  him  five  dollars  as  a  gift. 

"But  I  did  not  think  it  would  be  right  for 
me  to  use  it,  as  you  thought  my  allowance  suf- 
ficient, and  I  had  put  it  away  to  return  to  Allie, 
and  would  never  have  used  it  to  come  home  if 
I  could  have  walked,  but  this  affair  has  made 
me  sick.  I  will  return  the  money  to  xillie  yet," 
he  added  proudly. 

"Well,  sir,"  said  Mr.  Fabian,  with  a  face 
fairly  quivering  with  anger,  "you  may  prepare 
to  go  back  to-morrow,  for  I  certainly  intend 
you  to  go  if  I  am  well  enough  to  go  with  you !" 

"Oh,  Mr.  Fabian— oh,  Ralph!"  cried  Mrs. 
Fabian,  weeping  and  laying  her  hand  on  her 
husband's  arm, — "don't  !*^don't !" 

Mr.  Fabian  threw  it  off  roughlv,  his  manner 
rougher  than  she  had  ever  known  it. 

"Marie,  you  are  forgetting  yourself,"  he 
said  coldly. 

But  at  last  the  mother-love  was  aroused. 
"!N"o,"  she  replied,  "T  am  not  forgetting  my- 
self, but  you  are  forgetting  that  you  are  a 
father  and  a  Christian." 

Mr.  Fabian  stood  astounded.  Was  his  whole 
family  in  a  state  of  revolt?     He  had  never 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 


105 


known  his  wife  to  express  a  difference  of  opin- 
ion before  in  the  management  of  the  children. 

"Do  you  understand  nic,  Ralph  ?" 

"Yes,  papa,  I  understand  you,  but  I  cannot 

go  back  to  B College.     You  do  not  realize 

how  impossible  it  would  be.  I  will  go  any- 
where else  that  you  say,  or  I  will  go  to  work — 
anything  but  this.  You  would  not  go  if  you 
had  endured  all  that  I  have,  and  I  must  say 
that  when  you  remember  that  it  was  your  fail- 
ure in  sending  the  check  that  brought  on  the 
trouble,  your  words  seem  very  hard." 

"How  am  I  to  know  that  you  did  not  re- 
ceive the  check?" 

Ralph  proved  himself  possessed  of  the  Fa- 
bian sense  of  honor,  for  with  his  face,  wdiite  as 
a  corpse,  and  his  eyes  blazing,  he  said :  "You 
think,  then,  that  I  am  telling  a  falsehood. 
Papa,  this  is  more  than  I  can  bear."  The  poor 
fellow  turned  and  left  the  room. 

"Ralph!"  Mrs.  Fabian  was  now  standing 
with  flashing  eyes  before  her  husband.  "You 
have  forgotten  God's  fatherly  pity  to  you, — you 
have  forgotten  yourself !" 

Mr.  Fabian  sat  down  trembling.  He  was 
frightened  himself  at  the  effect  of  his  words  on 
Ralph,  and  on  his  wife. 

Mrs.  Fabian  w^aited  to  hear  the  front  door 
shut,  but  no  sound  broke  the  stillness  save  the 
ticking  of  the  clock,  and  the  whirr  of  the  wind 
around  the  corner  of  the  house. 


lOG  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

Perhaps  he  has  gone  to  his  room,  she  thought, 
then  remembering  how  cold  the  imused  room 
wonld  be,  and  how  hnngi'j  the  poor  boy  must 
be,  she  rose  and,  wiping  her  eyes,  said : 

"Ealph  has  had  no  supper,  I  must  find  him 
something  to  eat."  She  looked  at  her  husband 
for  a  word  or  a  look  of  sympathy,  but  he  sat 
with  his  face  covered  by  his  hands  and  gave  no 
sign  of  having  heard  her. 

She  went  to  Ralph's  room,  but  he  was  not 
there ;  she  went  to  her  own  room,  and  then  to 
the  dining-room  and  kitchen,  but  there  was 
silence  everywhere !  Turning  back  to  the  sit- 
ting room  she  said : 

"Mr.  Fabian,  you  have  driven  Ralph  away 
from  home;  may  God  forgive  you!" 

''Better  that  than  my  roof  should  shelter  a 
disobedient  and  dishonest  son!"  he  replied  as 
he  lifted  his  ashen  face  to  hers. 

The  truth  was  that  Ralph  had  gone  out  of 
the  front  door  without  closing  it  after  him — 
indeed,  without  even  noting  that  he  had  not 
done  so. 

"I  will  go  to  Daddy  Ben  and  Mammy,  they 
will  believe  me  and  help  me,"  said  the  boy,  now 
almost  beside  himself  with  distress,  and  hun- 
ger and  cold;  and  he  found  his  way  down  the 
well-worn  path  beside  the  garden  fence  to 
Daddy  Ben's  cabin. 

The  flickering  firelight  showed  through  the 
window  of  the  big  room.     The  old  people*  had 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  107 

probably  been  asleep  in  their  little  back  bed- 
room for  an  hour. 

Ralph  stepped  up  on  the  little  porch  and 
called  softly: 

"Daddy  Ben !  Mammy !"  but  the  only  re- 
sponse was  from  old  Vixen,  who  was  lying  in 
front  of  the  fire.  He  growled  and  stirred  in  his 
sleep. 

Then  Ralph  knocked  gently,  once,  twice  and 
called  again. 

Maum  Jane  heard  him  at  last  and,  sitting  up 
in  bed,  she  shook  Daddy  Ben. 

''Ben!  Ben!  dere's  somebody  a-knockin',  I 
'clare  sho  dat  is  sonny's  v'ice." 

Old  Ben  turned  sleep|fy  and  grunted,  but  did 
not  move.  However,  he  could  not  resist  the 
next  shake,  which  was  decidedly  more  vigorous. 
"Oh,  g'loug  you  fool  niggah !  You'se  been  a 
dreamin'  'bout  sonny,  dat's  w'at's  de  mattah. 
Wa'  you  want  me  fuh  do  ?" 

Another  louder  knock  set  Maum  Jane  on  her 
feet  and  she  stumbled  through  the  door  into 
the  big  room  and  threw  a  piece  of  fat  pine  on 
the  coals.  Then  wrapping  a  shawl  around  her 
she  opened  the  door  fearlessly.  \ 

Before  her  stood  Ralph,  pale  and  trembling 
with  cold. 

''Bress  de  Lawd  it  sho  is  sonny!  Wat's  de 
matter  ?  Come  inside  outen  de  col' !"  ' 

Ben  had  heard  his  wife's  exclamation,  saw 
Ralph  cross  the  room  and  almost  fall  into  a 


108  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

chair  noar  tlie  fire,  and  the  old  man  was  wide 
awake  enough  now.  He  slipped  into  his  clothes 
and  went  out. 

"De  Lawd  help  us !  Wat's  de  matter, 
sonny  ?" 

"Hush,  Ben !  de  po'  chil's  mos'  dead  hongry 
en'  col'.  Pile  on  de  wood,  w'ils'h  I  git  him 
somefin  ter  eat.  I  reckon  I  know  hongry  w'en 
I  sees  it.  Dere's  trouble  behin'  it,  sho,  else  w'at 
'e  doin'  down  yere,"  she  muttered  as  she  set  the 
kettle  on  and  made  ready  her  hospitalities. 
"Ha!  I  'fraid  Marse  Ralph  been  a-foolin'  wid 
dat  boy.  'E  always  was  sot  in  'e  ways,  Marse 
Ralph  wus !" 

She  was  listening  intently  while  she  moved 
about  for  Ben  to  ask  some  question,  the  reply  to 
which  she  wanted  to  hear. 

She  returned  with  a  plate  of  bread  and  cold 
meat,  and  ground  coffee  and  the  pot,  and  set- 
ting all  on  a  little  table  at  which  Ralph  had 
eaten  many  a  lunch,  she  drew  the  table  near 
him. 

Ralph  sat  with  his  face  resting  in  his  hands, 
and  his  elbows  on  his  knees,  and  was  staring 
mutely  into  the  now  blazing  fire.  The  contrast 
between  this  unquestioning  hospitality  and 
kindness,  and  his  father's  severity,  was  almost 
overwhelming  him.  Up  at  the  house  isn't  home, 
— this  is, — he  was  thinking;  then  he  remem- 
bered that  these  old  people  had  not  yet  heard 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  109 

his  story.  Maybe  they  too  would  side  with 
his  father — and  be  afraid  to  help  him!  I 

In  a  short  time  Maum  Jane  was  saying: 
''Come  on  now,  sonny ;  eat  somefin.  Dere  ain't 
nobody  kin  keep  fiim  feeling  miser'ble  w'en 
dey's  hongry  en'  col'." 

Kalpli  turned  towards  the  table  and  tried 
to  eat,  but  his  sobs  almost  choked  him ;  he  could 
not  swallow. 

The  kindly  sympathy,  the  warmth,  the  sight 
of  food  was  too  much,  and  again  he  burst  into 
tears,  and  Maum  Jane's  big,  tender  heart  went 
out  to  him  as  when  he  was  a  child.  She  stood 
by  his  chair  and  drew  his  handsome  curly  head 
to  her  capacious  breast,  and  there  he  leaned  and 
wept,  while  she  crooned  over  him: 

"Mammy's  po'  chil !  May  de  Lawd  help  him. 
Mebby  you  better  talk  right  on,  an'  you  kin  eat 
better  after  dat." 

She  persisted  in  holding  the  wise  belief  that 
it  takes  a  strengthened  body  to  enable  one  to 
bear  the  soul's  ills. 

Ralph  raised  his  head,  and  wiped  his  eyes, 
then  told  them  the  whole  sad  story,  up  to  the 
time  of  his  coming  to  them. 

"Mammy!  Daddy  Ben!  You  know  that  I 
wouldn't  steal  a  half  dollar !" 

Maum  Jane  rose  to  her  full  stature  and  her 
eyes  gleamed  with  pride: 

"Dere  'ent  no  Fabian  w'at  eber  had  dutty 
ban's.    It  teks  dutty  ban's  to  steal," 


110  Ralph  Fabtax's  ^Mistakes 

"ilammy !"  Ralph  continued,  cheered  bj  her 
assurance,  "jou  know  I  conhhi't  stay  where  peo- 
ple thought  that  of  me, — ^,von  know  I  couldn't 
go  back,  and," — his  voice  shook, — "papa  says 
that  I  must  go  back  to-morrow  with  him.  Daddy 
Ben!    Mammy!    I'd  rather  die  than  go  back  to 

B College.     I  told  papa  I  couldn't  go,  and 

he  said  I  must — and  then — and  then" — he  bur- 
ied his  face  in  his  hands  for  a  moment,  unable 
to  speak ;  then,  controlling  himself,  he  contin- 
ued :  "When  I  told  him  that  if  he  had  sent  the 
check  in  time  it  never  would  have  happened,  he 
said :  'How  am  I  to  know  you  never  got  the 
check  V  So  you  see  papa  thought  I  was  telling 
him  a  storv.  I  could  not  stand  that,  and  I 
said :  'That  is  more  than  I  can  bear,'  and  I 
turned  and  came  away,  and  now" — he  looked 
from  one  to  another — "I've  come  to  you.  What 
am  I  to  do  ?   Where  am  I  to  go  ?" 

Maum  Jane  had  been  quietly  crying,  until 
he  told  of  his  father  doubting  his  word,  then 
the  old  woman,  wiping  her  eyes,  rose  to  her 
feet. 

"My  Lawd!"  she  exclaimed,  "Marse  Ralph 
is  clean  loss  'e  senses,  sho'.  I  dunno  w'at  'e 
done  wid  de  fader  ha'at  de  good  Lawd  gib  'im ! 
Po'  chil','  she  added,  her  voice  quavering,  "seem 
lak  de  LaAvd's  ban'  restin'  mighty  heabby  on  my 
po'baby!" 


Ealph  Fabian's  Mistakes  111 


CHAPTER    XII. 

DADDY  ben's  PKACTICAL  SYMPATHY. 

Daddy  Ben  had  been  sitting  with  his  head 
bent,  and  his  hands  pressed  together,  the  tip  of 
every  finger  touching,  and  occasionally  opening 
and  then  closing  together  again,  while  he  peered 
silently  into  the  fire. 

After  Mammy's  exclamation  of  pity,  the  old 
man  turned  to  Ralph  and  said : 

''Sonny,  I  don'  lak  to  seem  to  speak  'ginst 
Marse  Ralph,  more  pertickler  to  'e  own  chil'.  'E 
sholv  hab  been  fait'ful  an'  true  to  me  an'  Jane 
ebery  way — ebery  way!  But — 'e's  done  make 
one  big  mistake  'cordin'  my  jedgement — an  dere 
ain't  no  two  ways  'bout  it!  An'  'e's  a-g-^vine  to 
see  sorrer  an'  hab  a  fight  wid  'e's  own  self  'fore 
dis  t'ing  is  done  wid. 

''You  jes'  mo'ally  can't  go  back  to  dat  collidge 
w'ar  dem  low-down  boys  is,  an'  Marse  Ralph 
orter  see  it  dat  way — but  'e  don't.  Seems  lak 
you  orter  kinsult  wid  Missy  fust  t'ing, — but — I 
don'  want  no  Fabian  to  go  beggin'  dat  stranger 
man  to  help  'im.  'E's  a  good  man,  I  b'lieve 
sholy,  else  Missy  couldn'  a-lubbed  him  'nough 


112  Ealpii  Fabian's  Mistakes 

to  marry  'im — but  all  de  same,  ^xe  Fabians  ain't 
used  to  gittin'  help  outen  de  fambly, — neider 
beggin'  ner  borryin',  an'  hit  seem  cl'ar  to  my 
jedgement  dat  de  Lawd  sen'  you  right  yere,  fur 
your  own  people  to  help  you.  oSTow  listen !  Me 
an'  Jane  been  a-layin'  up  fur  we  uns  burryin', 
an'  now  de  Lawd  calls  on  me  to  help  you,  an' 
bress  de  Lawd,  we  got  dat  money !" 

He  looked  at  Maum  Jane,  and  the  smile  of 
approval  that  she  telegraphed  back  was  worthy 
to  be  painted  by  a  master  hand;  indeed  the 
whole  scene  was.  Here  in  the  wee  sma'  hours 
sat  the  poor  broken-spirited  boy,  apparently  cast 
off  by  his  father,  and  these  two  old  colored  peo- 
vple,  not  the  less  loyal  to  Mr.  Fabian,  because 
more  loyal  to  the  divine  law  of  love  which 
bound  them  to  their  Lord,  and  now  they  w^ere 
about  to  prove  their  love  by  their  deeds. 

Daddy  Ben  rose  from  his  chair,  crossed  the 
room,  and  opening  the  front  door,  took  a  search- 
ing look  around  his  premises  and,  putting  down 
the  clean  white  curtains  that  adorned  the  win- 
dows, he  came  to  the  flagstone  hearth,  and  get- 
ting down  on  his  knees,  he  lifted  one  of  the 
stones  and  took  from  beneath  it  a  tin  tomato 
can. 

Then  he  rose  slowly  and  seating  himself,  he 
opened  the  can  and  took  from  it  a  heavy  woolen 
stocking  of  Maum  Jane's.  This  was  secured  by 
a  heavy  cord,  wrapped  many  times  around  it, 
and  as  the  old  man  slowly  unwound  it,  Ealph 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  113 

sat  speechless  watching  the  beaming  faces. 
They  were  going  to  give  him  money  to  go  to 
Oakton !   His  eyes  filled  with  tears  again. 

Daddy  Ben  looked  up  as  his  hands  moved 
slowly  and  said: 

"Sonny,  you  got  to  lib  somehow  'till  you  git 
wo'k.  Dere  ain't  no  two  ways  'bout  dat.  Do 
good  book  say  w'en  you'  fader  an'  you'  miidder 
fursake  you,  den  de  Lawd  gwine  take  you  up. 
Dis  yere's  de  Lawd's  way  ob  takin'  you  up.  Don' 
let  you'  Fabian  pride  keep  you  fum  takin' 
money  'case  it's  nigger  money,  T'ank  de  Lawd 
it's  good  clean  money  earn'  by  de  sweat  o'  my 
brow  an'  Jane's.  W'en  you  git  outen  you'  trou- 
ble, you  kin  sen'  back  'nougl)  to  help  bury  we 
uns  'spectable  like,  but  don'  fret  'bout  dat.  I 
know  de  Lawd,  I  don'  tried  Him  all  dese  years, 
He  sholy  do  keep  His  word.  He's  a  g'wine  ter 
bring  you  outen  de  wilderness  certain  sho'." 

By  this  time  he  had  accomplished  the  open- 
ing of  the  stocking,  and  was  pouring  its  con- 
tents into  his  wife's  lap. 

"Sonny,  you  count  an'  see,  dere  was  nigh 
onto  sebenty-five  dollars  w'en  Missy  count  it 
las',  an'  we  bote  been  a- wo'k  in'  steady  eber 
since,  praise  de  Lawd!" 

Ralph  could  hardly  see  to  count,  for  the  tears 
tliat  would  come,  but  he  took  the  small  change 
first,  counting  over  twenty  dollars  in  dollars, 
half  dollars,  quarters,  dimes  and  even  nickles. 
Theii  he  took  the  roll  of  bills  and  found  ten 


114  Ralph  Fabiax's  Mistakes 

five-dollar  bills,  one  ten-dollar  bill,  and  several 
smaller  ones,  amounting  to  nearly  ninety  dol- 
lars.    It  was  the  savings  of  years ! 

"Now,  sonny,  yon  jes'  put  fifty  dollars  in 
you'  pocket  to  git  started  wid,  an'  don'  fret 
'bout  nuttin',  but  trus'  in  de  Lawd  an'  Ben  an' 
Jane.  Dere  ain'  none  ob  dem  '11  eber  fursake 
you !" 

All  through  tlie  darkest  days  of  his  after  life 
Ralph  Fabian  remembered  Daddy  Ben's  words : 
"Trus'  in  de  Lawd  an'  Ben  an'  Jane."  Well 
would  it  have  been  for  him  if  he  could  have 
trusted  the  Lord  as  truly  as  he  did  Daddy 
Ben! 

"Now  you  'bleeged  to  hab  some  sleep.  Jane 
'ill  make  you  a  clean  bed  in  de  spa'  room.  You 
ain'  natchally  fit  to  go  no  w'ere  now,  en  you 
won't  go  back  to  de  house,  so  dis  yere's  de  bes' 
place  fur  you.  To-morrer  ebenin',  soon  as  it's 
da'ak,  I'll  hitch  up  my  little  wagon  an'  take  yo' 
ober  to  Clober  Leaf  Station,  to  de  train,  dat's 
de  bes'  way  fur  you,  ef  you  don'  wanter  hab  no 
talk  up-town  'bout  it." 

"But  what  will  papa  say  ?  He  will  turn  vou 
off,  I'm  afraid." 

"You  nebber  min'.  'E's  not  a-gAvine  to  know 
fum  me  nur  Jane,  in  de  fus'  place.  Jane  natch- 
ally  talks  a  heap,  but  she  know  w'en  to  keep  'er 
mouf  shut." 

Drunk  with  weariness  and  trouble,  the  old 
man's  cheery  and  yet  commanding  tone  finished 


JIalpk  Fabian's  Mlstakes  115 

the  surrender  of  Ralph's  pride,  and  he  rose  to 
his  feet  and  said  with  quivering  lips : 

"Well,  Daddy  Ben,  God  will  bless  you  for 
this,  and  I  thank  you  now.  Maybe  papa  will 
some  day." 

He  took  the  money,  as  the  ulJ  man  said,  and 
counted  out  the  fifty  dollars. 

"Be  sure  that  when  1  get  work  I  will  pay 
back  what  you  have  loaned  me." 

In  the  meanwhile  Maum  Jane  had  kindled 
a  fire  in  the  "spa'  room,"  which  had  been  the 
pride  of  her  life,  and  whose  value  would  hence- 
forth be  enhanced  because  one  of  her  "w'ite 
chillen"  had  been  sheltered  there.  And  in  a 
few  moments  more  the  weary,  broken-spirited 
scion,  of  the  Fabians  sank  into  an  exhausted 
sleep  in  the  humble  but  hospitable  home  of 
Daddy  Ben !  And  while  he  slept  his  troubled 
sleep  there,  up  at  Elmhurst  Ralph  Fabian  se- 
nior was  on  his  knees  in  the  fire-lit  room  wrest- 
ling in  a  great  agony  of  prayer !  His  mother, 
tossing  on  her  bed  with  her  heart  torn  by  grief 
and  by  remorse  because  she  had  not  stood  by 
her  son  in  his  trouble,  and  so  kept  him  at 
home  at  least  for  the  night. 

Little  did  either  guess  how  near  or  how  ten- 
derly cared  for  their  poor  boy  was ! 

Mr.  Fabian's  thoughts  were  absorbed  in  his 
oMn  part  in  this  trouble.  What  Ralph  suffered 
he  regarded  as  but  the  just  consequence  of  his 
sin,  for  that  Ralph  had  sinned  his  father  never 


116  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

doubted.  That  the  Fabiau  name  should  be  tar- 
nished, and  by  his  son;  that  people  should 
speak  of  him  as  the  father  of  a  boy  that  had 
left  college  in  disgrace — these  were  the  thoughts 
that  were  stinging  him,  and  that  would  not  be 
driven  away.  And  when  we  described  him  as 
wrestling  in  a  great  agony  of  prayer,  it  was 
rather  an  agony  of  wounded  pride,  and  a 
prayer  for  grace  to  bear  this  humiliation,  to 
meet  the  eyes  of  the  world  with  courage,  and 
for  tliat  assurance  which  he  confidently  believed 
he  deserved,  that  he  had  acted  wisely  in  com- 
manding Ralph  to  go  back  to  college. 

If,  in  his  secret  soul  there  was  the  convic- 
tion that  he  had  not  tempered  justice  with 
mercy,  he  would  not  allow  himself  to  dwell 
on  it. 

He  had  not  even  got  so  far  as  his  wife  in 
his  meditations,  except  as  to  add  this  to  his 
other  grievances — that  she  had  ventured  to  dif- 
fer from  him,  and  to  sympathize  with  their 
erring  boy.  Mr.  Fabian's  mind  did  not  act  as 
quickly  as  some  others,  this  blow  had  come,  as 
it  were,  from  behind;  he  was  not  prepared  for 
it — besides,  he  was  no  longer  a  young  man,  so 
that  it  was  near  daylight  before  he  found  him- 
self wondering  what  Alicia  would  say — what 
Mr.  Covington  would  think.  Would  Alicia 
blame  her  own  father,  and  side  with  Ralph  as 
her  mother  had  done?  Would  Mr.  Covington 
see  the  wisdom  of  his  command  to  Ralph  ?  Just 


Ralph  Fabtan's  'A[istakes  117 

then  the  whistle  of  a  passing  train  turned  his 
thoughts  to  Ralph.  Had  he  I'cally  gone  away, 
or  had  he  dared  to  puhlish  tlie  family  disgrace 
by  trying  to  get  work  at  home  'i  When  morning 
came  Mr.  Fabian  had  passed  a  sleepless  night 
and  was  too  unwell  to  rise. 

Ben  came  as  usual  to  attend  to  the  horses, 
and  at  breakfast  time  Maum  Jane  appeared  to 
attend  to  the  milk,  and  to  get  the  piled  plate 
of  breakfast,  alw^ays  set  aside  by  Mrs.  Fabian's 
order  for  the  old  people. 

She  moved  about  with  a  face  as  inscrutable 
as  that  of  the  Sphinx,  constantly  on  her  guard, 
because  she  knew  that  Mrs.  Fabian  would  cer- 
tainly speak  to  her  some  time  during  the  day. 
Very  few  of  Mrs.  Fabian's  troubles  or  perplexi- 
ties had  been  kept  from  Jane  during  the  long 
years  they  had  lived  together. 

''Seems  like  Mr.  Fabian  mus'  be  sick,"  the 
cook  ventured  to  remark,  "he  ain'  hardly  eat  any 
thing  off  de  plate  Sara  brung  out." 

Maum  Jane  gave  a  characteristic  grunt,  and 
then  asked  abruptly: 

"War's  dat  skimmer  ?"  and  passed  on  to  the 
table  where  the  milk  had  been  set.  Then,  as  if 
it  was  a  matter  of  slight  importance,  she  said: 

"Miss  Marie  said  yisterday  she  b'lieved  Marse 
Ralph  wus  a-gwine  to  hab  de  grip  ag'in."  Just 
then  Sara  came  to  deliver  a  message  from  Mr. 
Fabian. 


118  Kalph  Fabia>''s  Mistakes 

"Wen  you  gets  through,  Miss  Marie  says  fur 
you  to  come  to  her  dressin'  room." 

"All  right,"  said  Maum  Jane,  though  in- 
wardly sure  that  all  Avas  wi'ong,  and,  as  she 
afterwards  told  Alicia,  she  "jes'  kep'  one  prayer 
followin'  anudder  fuh  strength  not  to  say  nut- 
tin'  'bout  sonny." 

The  next  message  brought  by  Sara  was  to  tell 
Daddy  Ben  Mr.  Fabian  was  not  well  enough  to 
go  to  his  office,  and  that  he  must  take  the  note, 
which  she  handed  him,  to  Mr.  Hardman. 

Maum  Jane  was  afraid  to  hurry  in  response 
to  Mrs.  Fabian's  message — afraid  lest  the  sus- 
picions of  the  servants  should  be  aroused,  afraid 
that  Mrs.  Fabian  would  read  her  secret,  and 
afraid  of  her  own  tongue,  for  her  heart  was  full 
of  indignation,  and  it  is  "out  of  the  abundance 
of  the  heart  his  mouth  speaketh." 

"Well,  de  sooner  dis  t'ing  ober,  de  better  fuh 
me,  sho',"  she  said  to  herself  as  she  finished 
scalding  her  tins,  and  hanging  them  up. 

This  done  she  went  on  into  the  house,  first 
to  the  sitting  room,  where  Mr.  Fabian  was  lying 
in  his  big  chair,  looking  haggard  and  worn.  %Lr». 
Fabian,  who  was  sitting  near  him,  laid  her  finger 
against  her  lips,  and  motioned  with  her  eyes  to 
go  upstairs.     Mr.  Fabian  did  not  seem  to  notice 

her. 

The  old  woman's  warm  heart  throbbed  with 
pity  as  she  passed  the  door  of  Ralph's  room.  The 
door  was  open,  and  she  closed  it,  but  a  smile 


I 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  110 

flitted  over  Ler  face  when  she  thought  of  her 
boy  sleeping  safely  in  her  little  ''spa'  room"  ! 

She  passed  through  ^frs.  Fabian's  bed-room 
into  the  dressing  room  beyond,  and  busied  her- 
self straightening  the  chairs  and  dusting  im- 
aginary flecks  of  dust  off  the  little  dressing  table. 

At  last  she  heard  a  step  behind  her,  turned 
and  saw  Mrs.  Fabian  just  turn  the  key  in  the 
door,  and  then  come  towards  her  with  arms  out- 
stretched. 


120  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 


CHAPTER  XIII. 
Ralph's  steuggles. 

"Oh,  Jane !   Jane !  My  boy,  my  boy !" 

Mrs.  Fabian's  face  was  white,  and  her  eyes 
were  swollen  and  red  from  long  weeping. 

"Wat's  de  matter  ?  For  de  Lawd's  sake.  Miss 
Marie !  You  look  like  you  been  a-seein'  hants." 

"Jane,  Ralph  came  home  last  night.  He  got 
into  some  trouble  at  college,  and  his  father 
thinks  that  he  acted  dishonorably,  and  yet  he 
wants  him  to  go  back ;  and  he  told  the  poor  boy 
he  doubted  his  word — and" — she  continued  sob- 
bing— "he  has  gone  away,  I  don't  know  where !" 

The  sight  of  Mrs.  Fabian's  suffering,  the 
recollection  of  Mr.  Fabian's  white,  haggard  face 
did  not  touch  Maum  Jane's  warm  and  tender 
heart. 

"Wat's  dat,  Miss  Marie  ?  Marse  Ralph  t'ink 
'e  own  chile  dishoner'ble,  an'  'e  a  Fabian  w'at 
been  brung  up  to  t'ink  dat  after  God,  honor  come 
nex'  ?  Wats  de  matter  wid  Marse  Ralph  ?" 

Jane's  eyes  flashed,  her  bosom  heaved  with 
righteous  indignation. 

"Wat  d'you  tell  'im  ?  Wat  d'you  say  ?"  she 
asked  in  a  judicial  tone. 


RALrii  Fabta^i's  Mistakes  121 

Mrs.  Fabian's  only  reply  was  a  burst  of  tears, 
for  she  felt  anew  that  she  had  been  a  coward, 
and  was  to  blame  for  Ralph's  going  away.  She 
just  wept  and  shook  her  Iiead. 

"Miss  Marie,  you  listen  to  nie !  Dere  ain't 
nobody — nobody  gwine  make  me  b'lieve  dat  son- 
ny took  no  money  to  steal.  'E's  got  de  Fabian 
han'  an'  de  Fabian  han'  is  a  clean  han',  sho's 
you're  bawn!  Marse  Kalph  is  you'  husban',  I 
know,  but  'es  my  fait'ful  frien'  an'  master.  I 
got  a  right  to  see  'e  faults.  I  'bleeged  to  say 
dis :  'E's  too  sot  in  'e  ways.  'E  want  'e  chillen' 
to  do  right,  an'  'e  want  'e  chillen  to  lub  'im,  but 
'es  ha'ad  as  a  rock  w'en  'e  t'ink  devse  doin' 
wrong.  War  'd  Marse  Ralph  git  de  'tority  to 
do  dat  way  ?  War'd  'e  be  ef  de  Lawd  'd  treat 
'im  dat  way?  Wat  de  Lawd  mean  w'en  'E 
say :  'Lak  as  a  fader  pity  'e  chillen,  so  de  Lawd 
pity  dem  dat  fear  'Im"  ? 

''Oh,  Jane,  I  know  it;  I  see  it  now,  that  it  is 
too  late.     Oh,  Jane,  where  is  my  boy  ?" 

Maum  Jane  had  prepared  herself  for  the  pos- 
sibility of  this  question,  and  said  quickly: 

"You  t'ink  'e  wouldn'  go  to  Missy's  ?" 

"I  hope  that  he  has,  but  where  would  he  get 
the  money,  and  Jane," — she  hesitated  a  moment, 
almost  ashamed  to  give  expression  to  her  fear, — 
"I'm  afraid  his  father  will  be  displeased  with 
Alicia  and  Mr.  Covington  if  they  help  the  poor 
boy.    He  says  Ralph  must  go  back  to  college  and 


123  Ealph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

expects  to  go  with  him.  Ralph  told  hira  he 
could  not  go,  and  I  don't  blame  him!" 

"Did  you  talk  up  fuh  you'  chile?  Did  you 
tell  'e  pa  'e  ortn't  to  mek  'im  go?  Seems  lak 
dat  w'at  de  Lawd  mean  a  wife  fuh  to  be, — not 
hidin'  de  ebil  w'at  a  chile  do,  but  shielin'  'im 
w^'en  'e  fader's  ha'at's  a-tunin'  against  'im! 
Same  lak  de  bressed  Lawd  shiel'  us  po'  sinners 
fum  de  Fader's  wrath." 

Mrs.  Fabian  realized  more  and  more  her 
weakness  and  her  error,  as  the  old  colored  wo- 
man defined  so  beautifully  the  mother's  place  as 
mediator. 

All  this  time  Maum  Jane  was  growing  more 
and  more  restless.  She  was  afraid  something 
would  compel  her  to  tell  a  lie.  She  had  quite 
firmly  resolved  to  do  that  rather  than  to  deliver 
Ralph  up  to  his  father's  stern  anger.  Then, 
too,  she  feared  Ralph  would  wake  up  hungry, 
or  frightened  lest  they,  too,  had  deserted  him. 
Altogether  the  old  woman  was  very  uncomforta- 
ble, and  it  was  no  little  relief  to  her  when  Mrs. 
Fabian  dismissed  her  with  an  earnest  request 
to  Ben  to  be  sure  and  let  her  know  if  he  heard 
anything  of  Ralph  in  town,  a  request  which 
Mamn  Jane  hastened  to  take  to  Ben,  as  an  ex- 
cuse for  getting  back  to  the  cabin. 

It  w^ould  be  interesting  to  tell  all  the  happen- 
ing:s  of  that  dav  at  Elmliurst,  the  visit  of  Mr. 
Hardman,  Mr.  Fabian's  story  of  the  disgrace 
that  had  come  upon  him,  and  of  Mr.  Hardman's 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  123 

tender  prajer  for  the  wandering  boj;  of  Mr. 
Fabian's  stern  announcement  to  Ben  that  Kalph 
had  left  college  without  his  permission,  and  that 
he  was  to  inquire  at  the  station  whether  Ralph 
had  left  any  baggage  there,  but  we  must  follow 
Ralph,  who,  after  nearly  a  whole  day  spent 
asleep  in  Maum  Jane's  spare  room,  was  driven 
over  by  Daddy  Ben  to  Clover  Leaf  and  boarded 
the  train  an  hour  later. 

The  meeting  between  Ralph  and  his  sister 
was  full  of  both  pain  and  pleasure.  Alicia,  as 
we  may  imagine,  was  deeply  concerned  about 
the  whole  affair,  and  especially  grieved  at  her 
father's  attitude  to  Ralph.  She  was  truly  grati- 
fied that  her  brother  should  have  come  to  Mr. 
Covington  for  advice,  yet  recognizing  the  deli- 
cate position  in  which  it  placed  her  husband. 

They  were  both  deeply  touched  by  the  story 
of  Daddy  Ben's  practical  sympathy.  To  Mr. 
Covington,  a  stranger  to  the  old  relation  be- 
tween the  white  people  and  negroes  in  the 
South,  it  was  a  wonderful  story  of  faithful  affec- 
tion. 

Mr.  Covington  showed  his  wisdom  and  his 
Christian  tact  by  avoiding  all  criticism  of  Mr. 
Fabian's  conduct,  while  assuring  Ral])h  of  his 
absolute  belief  in  his  integrity. 

"And  now,  dear  fellow,"  he  asked,  'Svhat  do 
you  want  to  do  ?  Under  the  circumstances  it 
seems  best  that  you  should  not  remain  hci-e, 


h 


124  Ralph  Fabiax's  HistakeS 

though  as  long  as  I  have  a  home  I  want  yon  to 
consider  it  one  of  yours." 

"I  want  to  work!"  said  Kalph  with  quivering 
lips;  "I  M'ant  to  pay  the  two  small  bills  I  left 

due  at  B College,  and  1  want  to  pay  back 

Daddy  Ben's  money.  1  cannot  stay  here,  for 
papa  would  blame  you  and  Allie  for  harboring 
me.     1  want  to  go  where  I  can  get  work." 

"What  kind  of  work  ?  What  do  you  want  to 
do?" 

"Anything  honest  that  will  pay.  You  know 
that  I  have  scarcely  thought  of  what  I  would 
like  to  do  when  I  finished  college." 

The  truth  was  that  Mr.  Fabian  had  never  dis- 
cussed the  matter  with  Ralph.  He  had  confi- 
dently expected  to  take  him  into  his  own  busi- 
ness, and  so  let  the  old  and  well-known  firm  of 
"Fabian  &  Son"  be  kept  up. 

"I  would  like  to  go  to  Atlanta  if  you  think 
I  might  find  something  to  do  there.  I'd  rather 
go  to  a  big  city." 

Mr.  Covington  at  once  remembered  an  agree- 
able acquaintance  of  the  previous  summer,  an 
active  Y.  M.  C.  A.  man,  Avitli  whom  he  had  ex- 
changed cards,  and  he  at  once  wrote  to  him — a 
letter  which  he  had  mailed  as  soon  as  written, 
and  a  note  of  introduction,  which  he  gave  to 
Ralph.  What  was  to  be  done  must  be  done 
promptly,  for  the  very  train  that  brought  Ralph 
also  brought  an  imploring  letter  to  Alicia  from 
her  mother,  urging  them  to  come  over  immedi- 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  125 

atelj,  and  hinting  at  some  trouble.     Of  course 
they  must  go. 

At  nine  that  night  Ralph  turned  his  back  on 
his  beloved  sister,  and  ■went  out  for  his  first 
struggle  with  life's  temptations  and  cares  in  a 
strange  city. 

The  next  six  months  were  filled  with  new  ex- 
periences for  Ralph  Fabian.  The  letter  which 
Mr.  Covington  had  given  him  for  Mr.  Gravely 
had  brought  him  a  friend  indeed,  for  Mr.  Grave- 
ly had  not  only  found  him  a  place  in  the  large 
wholesale  establislm.ient  to  which  he  belonged, 
and  had  helped  him  to  find  the  right  kind  of 
boarding  place,  but  he  had  invited  him  to  his 
own  home,  more  than  one  Sunday  evening,  his 
heart  being  full  of  that  sympathy  for  young  men 
who  are  forced  to  earn  a  living  away  from 
home. 

During  these  months  he  had  only  heard  from 
home  through  the  Covingtons,  for  Mr.  Fabian 
had  told  them  that  he  would  not  reply  if  Ralph 
wrote  to  him,  nor  would  he  consent  to  his 
mother's  writing. 

From  the  same  source  he  learned  that  his 

father  had  gone  to  B College,  and  that  Mr. 

Covington  had  gone  with  him.  That  it  had  been 
proved  to  Mr.  Fabian  that  Ralph's  unfortunate 
mistake  was  only  a  mistake,  but  Mr.  Fabian  had 
chosen  to  consider  Ralph's  refusal  to  return  to 
college  as  worthy  of  the  severity  of  his  treat- 
ment.    This,  despite  the  protest  of  the  entire 


126  Kalph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

faculty  and  their  assurance  tliat  the  indigna- 
tion of  the  stndents  had  manifested  itself  in 
their  notifying  his  defanier,  Ciscoe,  that  he  had 
better  not  return  the  next  session. 

Mr.  Covington  had  later  gone  to  Atlanta,  os- 
tensibly "on  business,"  but  really  to  look  after 
Kalph  in  loving  interest. 

Ralph  positively  declined  Mr.  Covington's 
offer  to  let  him  return  Daddy  Ben's  money,  and 
so  to  let  the  debt,  if  it  must  be  a  debt,  be  to  him. 
Ealph  preferred  to  be  in  debt  to  Daddy  Ben, 
remembering  the  old  man's  assertion  that  "Fa- 
bians wasn't  used  to  borryin'  outen  de  fambly." 
And  Ralph  had  another  reason,  and  a  better 
one,  certainly,  and  that  was  that  he  did  not  wish 
to  turn  his  father  against  Mr.  Covington,  if  he 
should  ever  hear  of  Daddy  Ben's  help,  and  that 
Mr.  Covington  had  helped  him,  too. 

Ralph  Fabian  was  ]irobably  happier  than  he 
had  ever  been  in  his  life.  His  duties  were  those 
of  a  shipping  clerk  and  he  worked  early  and 
late.  His  salary  was,  of  course,  small,  but  he 
lived  cheaply,  and  was  able  to  lay  by  something 
every  month  on  his  debt. 

He  was  proving  prompt  and  capable,  and 
making  friends  in  the  warehouse. 

He  had  won  Mr.  Gravely's  heart  by  telling 
him  something  of  his  story — enough  to  show 
him,  however,  that  the  poor  fellow's  pride  had 
caused  much  of  his  suffering. 

Mr.  Gravely's  daughter,  Amy,  a  few  years  his 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  127 

senior,  had  been  very  kind  to  him,  and  as  she 
was  attractive  and  popular,  Ralph's  social  op- 
portunities were  really  far  better  than  those  of 
most  young  men  in  a  strange  city. 

He  was  beginning  to  enjoy  social  life,  and  to 
call  on  such  girls  as  Amy  Gravely  had  intro- 
duced him  to. 

One  evening,  when  he  had  been  fortunate 
enough  to  get  off  earlier  than  usual,  he  went  to 
his  room  and  prepared  to  call  on  a  young  lady. 
He  whistled  as  he  dressed,  and  laughed  when 
he  thought  how  surprised  Allie  would  be  if  she 
knew"  that  he  w^as  now  really  quite  a  society 
man! 

The  sore  of  his  great  trouble  was  healing,  and 
even  the  treatment  of  his  father  was  more  beara- 
ble, for,  he  said  to  himself :  '^Papa's  pride  is  all 
that  keeps  him  from  acknowledging  that  I  was 

right  in  leaving  B College,  and  that  he  has 

been  too  severe." 

He  ran  lightly  down  the  steps  and  out  into 
the  street,  and  turned  into  one  of  the  prettiest 
resident  sections  of  Atlanta.  Coming  towards 
him  in  the  full  light  of  the  corner  lamp,  he  saw 
the  young  lady  on  whom  he  was  expecting  to 
call,  and  escorted  by  Langston,  the  man  who  had 
reported  him  to  the  president  of  his  class ! 

Miss  Alston  recognized  him  and  smiled,  but 
the  two  men  scowled  at  each  other,  and  Ralph 
Fabian  only  preserved  self-possession  enough  to 
bow  and  pass  on,  instead  of  following  his  first 
impulse  to  turn  and  fly. 


128  Ealph  FABIA^''s  Mistakes 


CHAPTER   XIV. 


ANOTHER   MISTAKE. 


"How  in  the  world  did  you  come  to  know  that 
fellow  ?"  exclaimed  Langston,  who  was  dressed 
in  the  height  of  fashion  and  presented  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  society  dude. 

"Know  him?  Why  he  is  a  splendid  fellow, 
worth  knowing,  and  was  introduced  to  our  set 
by  the  Gravelys.  Where  did  you  know  him? 
What's  the  matter  with  him  ?"  asked  Miss  Als- 
ton. 

''The  matter  is  that  he  stole  money  from  the 
cash-box  of  his  class,  and  had  to  leave  college," 
replied  Langston,  with  vehemence,  glad  to 
"catch  up"  with  Fabian,  and  to  wreak  the  ven- 
geance which  he  had  stored  in  his  heart  becaiise 
the  class  had  condemned  his  treatment  of  Ralph. 

"Mr.  Fabian  stole  money  at  college  !  Oh,  that 
cannot  be  so,  he  is  a  gentleman.  You  are  surely 
joking!" 

"A  pretty  serious  joke — a  joke  he  had  to  pay 
pretty  dearly  for,"  replied  Langston  with  a 
harsh  laugh.  "I  believe  his  father  cast  him  off 
for  it." 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  129 

Langoton  had  no  positive  knowledge  upon 
which  to  build  this  assertion.  All  he  knew  was 
that  somebody  told  somebody  else  that  Fabian's 

father  had  been  to  B College,  and  had  told 

President  S that  Ralph  had  obstinately  re- 
fused to  return.  Upon  this  these  ruthless  fel- 
lows were  adding  to  the  story  of  Ralph's  trouble 
what  we  know  was  too  sadly  true. 

In  the  meanwhile  poor  Ralph's  heart  was  hot 
within  him.  He  hesitated  a  moment  as  to  what 
to  do  with  himself,  and  it  would  have  been  well 
for  him  if  he  had  followed  his  first  impulse,  and 
had  gone  to  Amy  Gravely  for  sympathy  and 
advice !  His  second  impulse  was  to  go  to  the 
secretary  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  who  had  been 
very  kind  to  him,  but 

''He'll  talk  religion  to  me,"  Ralph  muttered, 
"and  what  I  want  is  practical  advice."  And  so 
the  poor  fellow  spent  a  restless  and  miserable 
night  trying  to  decide  the  matter  for  himself. 
He  ended  by  "waiting  to  see  if  anything  would 
come  of  the  encounter." 

Unfortunately  for  him,  Burton  Ciscoe  was  in 
Atlanta,  too,  and  had  brought  with  him  an  im- 
placable gi'udge  against  Ralph,  though  life  did 
not  know  until  he  met  Langston  that  Fabian  was 
in  the  city. 

A  few  evenings  later  Ralph  passed  Ciscoe,  in 
company  with  two  clerks  employed  by  Gravely, 
Baker  &  Co.,  and  his  heart  sank  within  him,  for 
he  saw  not  only  that  Ciscoe  was  hobnobbing  with 


130  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

I 

meu  employed  in  the  same  house  with  him,  but 
that  Ciscoe  had  recognized  him.  He  felt  sure 
that  it  boded  no  good  to  him,  and  this  impres- 
sion was  confirmed  the  next  day  when  he  ap- 
proached one  of  the  men  with  some  pleasantry, 
and  was  met  with  a  cold  stare,  and  a  contemptu- 
ous shrug  of  the  shoulder. 

That  evening,  as  he  was  about  leaving  the 
store,  another  man  said  to  him : 

"Say,  Fabian,  did  you  ever  go  to  B Col- 
lege ?" 

"Yes,"  said  Ealph,  with  a  flushed  face,  "why 
do  you  ask  me  ?" 

''Oh,  nothing  particular.  Did  you  like  it 
there?" 

"No,  I  did  not,  for  there  were  some  low 
scoundrels  there,  one  of  whom  I  saw  walking 
with  Bentley  last  night."  With  which  remark 
he  went  out  with  a  heart  seething  with  hatred 
towards  Langston  and  Ciscoe  and  towards  his 
fellow  clerks.  Sadder  still,  with  a  feeling  of 
bitterness  towards  God,  to  whom  he  charged  this 
fresh  trouble. 

He  walked  slowly  to  his  room,  and  sat  down, 
too  stunned  by  the  occurrences  of  the  last  twen- 
ty-four hours  to  know  what  to  do. 

With  characteristic  rashness  and,  shall  we  say 
moral  cowardice,  the  only  thing  which  seemed 
right  was  that  he  should  leave  Atlanta. 

With  this  object  in  view  he  took  from  the  bot- 
tom of  his  trunk  the  little  box  containing  his 


Ealph  Fabian's  Mistakes  131 

earnings,  and  one  ten-dollar  bill  of  Daddy  Ben's 
money,  which  he  kept  as  a  mascot.  He  had 
already  sent  back  half  the  amoimt  lent  him,  and 
now  found  that  he  had  about  iifty  dollars,  in- 
cluding the  ten-dollar  bill.  This  money  he  put 
in  a  belt  which  he  wore,  and  then  he  sat  down 
to  write  a  letter  to  Mr.  Gravely. 

The  writing  of  this  letter  was  a  sore  trial  to 
the  poor  misguided  fellow,  who  wanted  to  do 
right,  but  could  not  without  God's  help.  He 
not  only  had  a  profound  respect  for  Mr.  Gravely, 
but  a  deep  sense  of  obligation,  a  gratitude  that 
amounted  to  love.  He  felt  conscious  that  it  was 
not  right  to  leave  his  employer  and  friend  in 
this  abrupt  way,  but,  whenever  Bona  whispered 
this,  Mala  presented  to  his  mental  vision  the 
evil  face  of  Ciscoe,  and  the  handsome,  insolent 
one  of  Langston,  and  he  cried  aloud : 

"I  cannot  stay  here!    I  cannot  stay." 

Under  this  strong  conviction  he  proceeded  to 
pack  his  belongings;  then  he  went  down  and 
paid  his  board  up  to  that  night,  saying  that  he 
was  unexpectedly  called  away. 

In  his  letter  to  Mr.  Gravely  he  told  him  of 
Langston  and  Ciscoe  being  in  iVtlanta,  of  the 
questions  he  had  been  asked  by  the  clerk,  and 
expressed  his  conviction  that  these  men  had 
come  to  Atlanta  to  ruin  his  reputation.  "Don't 
believe  them,  Mr.  Gravely,"  he  wrote  pathetic- 
ally ;  "ask  Covington ;  he  knows,  and  he  will  tell 
you  the  whole  truth." 


132  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

The  train  he  expected  to  take  left  at  eleven- 
fifty.  He  sent  his  trunks  to  the  station,  and 
then  wrapping  a  book  which  Amy  GraveTy  had 
lent  liim,  with  Mr.  Gravely's  letter  on  it,  re- 
solved to  deliver  it  himself. 

As  he  approached  the  door  he  saw  the  brightly 
lighted  windows  of  the  parlor  where  he  had  been 
so  hospitably  entertained,  and  his  heart  was  full 
of  bitterness.  He  felt  himself  so  hardly  dealt 
with  by  God. 

He  did  not  remember  all  the  kindnesses  which 
he  had  received.  He  did  not  remember  that  he 
had  never  deserved  any  fatherly  love,  that  he 
had  never  once  acknowledged  the  relation.  In- 
deed,  in  the  depths  of  his  proud  heart  Ralph 
Fabian  cherished  a  belief  shared  by  too  many 
other  young  men,  that  he  could  take  care  of 
himself,  that  he  did  not  need  the  j^rotecting 
care  of  God,  that  religion  was  all  right  for 
women,  and  for  old  men  ! 

Alas !  the  sunny  influence  of  religion  did  not 
pervade  his  home.  True,  Alicia  was  a  sunny- 
hearted  girl,  but  his  father's  religion  consisted 
in  an  austere  and  uncompromising  submission 
to  what  he  regarded  as  the  inflexible  commands 
of  God.  His  mother's,  sincere  and  deep  as  it 
surely  was,  was  sufi'ering  from  a  want  of  ex- 
pression. Religion,  which  after  all  is  but  an- 
other name  for  love  to  God,  can  no  more  thrive 
without  expression  tlian  human  affection  can, 
and  when  our  affections,  either  towards  God  or 


KaLPTI    !t^A-BIAN's    MiSTAKES  133 

man,  are  locked  up  iu  the  breast  they  must  die 
of  asphyxiation. 

But  to  return  to  Ealpli.  AVhon  lie  rang  the 
bell  at  Mr.  Gravely's  he  was  filled  with  the  dread 
of  coming-  face  to  face  witli  either  Mr.  Gravely 
or  his  daughter. 

Jack,  the  young  son,  however,  answered  his 
ring  and  said : 

"Won't  vou  come  in,  Mr.  Fabian  ?" 

"No,  thank  you ;  I  have  not  time,"  was 
Ralph's  hasty  reply,  as  he  turned  away. 

"Papa,  Mr.  Fabian  brought  this  package  and 
letter.  He  looked  so  pale  and  worried,  I  asked 
him  to  come  in,  but  he  said  he  didn't  have  time," 
said  Jack  as  he  gave  the  bundle  into  his  father's 
hands. 

Great  was  the  surprise  and  the  distress  of  the 
Covingtons  when  Ralph  walked  in  the  next 
night  and  told  how  he  came  to  leave  Atlanta. 

Mr.  Covington,  while  not  disg^^sing  that  he 
thought  Ralph  had  made  anotlier  mistake  in 
leaving,  felt  too  much  compassion  for  the  poor 
fellow  not  to  show  the  most  tactful  and  brotherly 
sympathy.  He  at  once  suggested  that  he  might 
get  work  in  Baltimore,  and  that  he  would  write 
to  a  personal  friend. 

"But,  my  dear  Ral,  do  not  let  any  fear  of 
those  scoundrels  and  their  contemptible  gossip 
run  you  away  again.  Stay  and  live  it  down ! 
Go  frankly  to  your  employers,  if  they  hear  of 
the  unfortunate  affair,  and  tell  them  the  whole 


134  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

story.  I  ara  sure  that  if  my  friend  Laymore 
can,  he  will  give  you  a  place  in  his  ovm  busi- 
ness for  my  sake,  and  that  he  will  befriend  you 
if  you  are  only  frank  with  him. 

''T  wish,  more  than  I  can  tell,  that  you  could 
stay  with  me ;  it  is  the  best  place  for  you,  I  be- 
lieve, but  you  know, — we  all  know, — that  there 
are  reasons  why  it  cannot  be.  I  cannot  even 
ask  vou  to  stav  for  a  while,  for  your  father  has 
said  that  he  would  be  displeased  with  us  if  you 
came  here,  and  that  would  only  make  matters 
worse.  Dear  fellow,"  he  added  with  one  of  those 
winning  smiles  with  which  he  always  accentu- 
ated his  counsels,  "more  than  ever  do  we  wish 
that  you  could  accept  this  as  the  discipline  of  a 
loving  Father  Avho  is  moulding  you  for  some 
wise  purpose.  This  we  both  believe  with  all  our 
hearts,  and  may  God  speed  the  day  when  you 
can  accept  it  as  such !" 

"I  have  had  very  little  experience  of  a  father's 
love,  either  earthly  or  heavenly,"  said  Ealph 
bitterly. 

Alicia  came  to  his  side  and,  putting  her  arms 
about  him,  said,  with  eyes  filled  with  tears  of 
grief  and  sympathy : 

''You  wull  yet.  You  will !  my  dear  Eal ;  I  be- 
lieve this  as  I  believe  in  God." 

Neither  one  of  these  wise  ones  thought  of 
preaching  to  him  that  he  ought  to  believe  in  both 
fatliers — they  were  willing  to  abide  God's  own 
time,  with  unwavering  faith. 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  135 

Six,  eight  months  rolled  by.  Ealph  was  be- 
ginning to  feel  settled  again,  and  his  spirits  were 
good.  Mr.  Covington's  thoughtful  kindness  was 
again  bearing  fruit.  His  friend,  Mr.  Laymore, 
had  interested  himself  to  find  a  place  for  Ralph 
and  had  given  him  a  standing  invitation  to  his* 
home.  The  pastor  of  one  of  the  churches  had 
shown  him  kind  attentions,  too,  and  Ralph  had 
fallen  into  the  habit  of  attending  his  church. 

Among  the  attractive  young  people  who  gath- 
ered from  time  to  time  at  Mr.  Laymore's  was 
Elsie  Moring,  a  special  friend  of  his  daughter 
and  a  girl  of  attractive  face  and  manner.  Ralph 
was  at  once  interested  in  her.  This  is  the  kind 
of  friend  I  need,  he  thought,  if  only  I  could 
win  her  friendship.  She  was  possessed  of  the 
very  qualities  which  he  lacked,  being  a  girl  of 
strong  convictions  of  right  and  wrong,  and  brave 
enough  to  stand  by  those  convictions.  And,  as 
if  God  accepted  the  poor  fellow's  wish  for  such 
a  friend  as  a  prayer,  and  granted  it,  Elsie  Mor- 
ing seemed  drawn  to  him.  She  said  to  her 
friend,  Lucy  Laymore: 

''Lucy,  Mr.  Fabian  is  an  attractive  fellow. 
Do  you  know  anything  about  him  ?  He  says  he 
is  a  stranger  here." 

"He  is  from  South  Carolina,  I  think.  I  know 
that  he  brought  papa  a  letter  from  a  wealthy 
miner  there,  who  is  his  brother-in-law.  He  has 
no  friends  here  but  papa  and  Dr.  B ,  and 


136  Ralph  Fabiax's  Mistakes 

one  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  secretaries.  So  go 
ahead  and  befriend  tlie  poor  fellow,  Else,  but 
hold  on  to  your  heart,  for  he  is  handsome — and 
poor !" 

Elsie  smiled — she  always  smiled  when  Lucy 
cautioned  her,  for  she  knew  her  to  be  a  loyal 
friend  of  one  of  the  most  ardent  of  her  ad- 
mirers. 

"Don't  anticipate  things,  dear.  I  scarcely 
Imow  Mr.  Fabian  vet,  and  I  am  too  Scotch  to 
fall  in  love  on  first  sight." 

Not  long  after  this,  as  Elsie  Moring  was 
strolling  with  Ralph  through  one  of  the  parks, 
she  said : 

"Mr.  Fabian,  you  speak  often  of  your  sister 
and  of  Mr.  Covington,  but  never  of  your  mother 
and  father,  or  of  your  home.  Are  your  parents 
ivmg « 

From  almost  any  one  else  Ralph  would  have 
resented  this  question — a  perfectly  legitimate 
one  in  itself,  but  to  his  sore  heart  always  pain- 
ful. However  he  could  not  believe  tliat  Elsie 
Moring  meant  it  for  idle  curiosity.  His  face 
flushed,  his  heart  beat  fast,  something  witliin 
whispered  :  Tell  her  your  whole  story  right  now. 
She  will  believe  you  and  s^-mpathize.  But 
Ralph's  moral  cowardice  prevailed,  and  he  only 
said: 

"Yes,  Miss  Elsie,  they  are  both  living  in  Ha- 
zelton.  South  Carolina." 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  137 

Elsie's  quick  tact  discerned  that  for  some  rea- 
son the  subject  was  painful,  and  she  quickly 
changed  it,  asking  him  sonic  trivial  question, 
and  Ralph  Fabian  had  scored  another  mistake 
in  life  1 


138  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 


CHAPTER   XV. 

A  REFUGE  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

In  one  of  the  most  fertile  and  beautiful  val- 
leys of  Western  North  Carolina  there  stretches 
for  miles  the  farm  of  Luther  Comstock — 'Squire 
Comstock,  as  he  Avas  best  known  througliout  the 
region. 

The  comfortable  farm  house  was  ten  miles  be- 
yond the  little  railroad  town  of  Milton,  and  on 
the  turnpike  to  the  famous  Roan  Mountain. 

The  beautiful  views  of  Black  Mountain,  to 
be  seen  in  the  distance,  the  music  of  the  bold 
stream  that  emptied  its  limpid  waters  into  the 
Catawba  near  by,  together  with  the  fame  of  Mrs. 
Comstock's  flannel  cakes  and  butter,  and  of  the 
'Squire's  abundant  apple  and  }>each  orchards 
and  his  vineyard,  made  Comstock's  a  popular 
stopping  place  for  tourists  during  the  summer 
and  early  fall,  and  Luther  Comstock,  despite  his 
opulence,  did  not  object  to  accommodating 
strangers  "for  a  consideration." 

"Hit  don'  hurt  you  travellin'  folks  ter  pay  er 
little  fur  yer  feed,  ter  help  the  wimmin  folks 
along.     You  see,  they  gits  all  the  revenoo  fum 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  139 

summer  boarders,"  the  good-natured  old  man 
added  with  a  hiiigh  that  shook  his  fat  sides.  iSTo- 
body  disputed  his  assertion,  for  the  rich  milk, 
the  hot  flannel  cakes,  and  the  wonderfid  beauty 
that  could  be  enjoyed  here  fully  compensated 
the  travellers  for  what  really  seemed  absurdly 
small  charges. 

One  September  afternoon,  when  the  sun  was 
about  an  hour  high,  a  young  man,  well  clad  and 
with  a  pale,  intelligent  face,  came  up  to  the 
gate  at  Comstock's.  From  his  alpenstock,  which 
rested  across  his  shoulder,  was  slung  a  large 
grip. 

"Good  evening,"  he  said  pleasantly,  and 
touching  his  hat,  "can  I  get  lodgings  here  for  a 
few  days,  or  longer  ?" 

'Squire  Comstock,  who  had  been  dozing  over 
his  newspaper,  roused  up  and  said,  quite  heart- 

ily: 

"Come  in!  Come  in,  to  be  sure,  sir,  an'  rest 
your  hat  whilst  I  speak  ter  my  ole  woman.  She 
runs  ther  eatin'  machine  here,  an'  I  'low  she's 
got  enough  ter  feed  ye  for  awhile." 

He  laughed  one  of  those  good-natured  laughs 
that  belong  to  fat,  prosperous  people,  and  setting 
a  chair  for  the  stranger  on  the  shady  porch,  he 
passed  on  into  the  house. 

The  young  man  set  his  grip  down  and  took 
the  offered  chair,  removing  his  hat,  though  un- 
conscious that  in  so  doing  he  was  "resting"  it. 

His  eye  kindled,  and  the  expression  of  his 


140  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

face  softened  as  be  looked  off  across  tlie  fair  val- 
ley adorned  with  stacks  of  fodder,  to  the  marvel- 
Ions  panorama  of  bine  monntains  that  stretched 
before  him.  The  dome  of  Mount  Pisgah  lifted 
itself  high  in  the  waning  afternoon  sunlight. 
There  was  beauty  and  stillness  and  peace  every- 
where. 

"Peace  and  rest  at  last,  I  hope,"  he  mur- 
mured. In  another  moment  'Squire  Comstock 
returned,  accompanied  by  his  wife,  a  ruddy- 
faced,  buxom  woman. 

"This  yere's  my  wife,  Mr. — w'at  mought  yer 
name  be  ?" 

Before  the  young  man  had  time  to  reply  Mrs. 
Comstock  was  saying: 

"Good  evenin'  ter  ye,  an'  w'at  d'ye  say  wer 
name  wus  ?  'Squire  said  ye  asked  ter  stay 
aw^hile.  Well,  ef  you  kin  put  up,  for  a  while, 
with  w'at  we  uns  live  on  ther  year  'roun',  w'y 
yer  welcome.  Whar  d'ye  say  yer  come  fum, 
though  ?" 

She  forgot  that  she  had  not  given  him  time 
to  impart  any  information. 

It  was  a  moment  of  temptation  to  Ralph  Fa- 
bian, though  his  hostess  did  not  know  it — and 
really,  though  he  little  suspected  it,  a  crisis  in 
his  life.  He  was  strongly  tempted  to  give  them 
an  assumed  name,  but  as  he  looked  into  the  hon- 
est, kindly  faces  before  him,  the  temptation 
passed,  and  he  answered  quietly: 

"My  name  is  Fabian,  and  I  came  here  from 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  141 

Baltimore,   and  got  off   at  Milton,   early  this 


morning"." 


"Is  that  whar  ye  stays  when  ye  stays  at 
home  ?"  asked  Mrs.  Conistock,  with  a  persis- 
tency that  would  have  been  irritating;  if  her 
manner  had  not  been  so  gentle  and  her  face  had 
not  appeared  so  good-natured. 

"No'm,"  he  replied,  "but  I  have  been  in  busi- 
ness there  for  a  year.  I  have  come  up  here  for 
a  rest,"  he  added,  afraid  of  further  questioning. 

"Well,  sir,  you've  struck  the  right  track  when 
you  started  this-a-way,  sure  !  The  summer  folks 
that  come  say  fur  me  to  call  my  place  'Repose,' 
an'  I  tell  'em  they  kin  do  it  ef  they  er  a  min'  to, 
but  it  soun's  too  hifalutin'  fur  plain  folks,  I 
says  ter  M'randy,  an'  she  says  ther  same.  The 
gals  they've  been  off  ter  school  up  ter  Asheville, 
an'  they  like  it.  As  fur  me,  this  yer's  the  way 
I  feel  'bout  it:  God's  been  mighty  good  ter  we 
uns;  crops  has  been  good,  fruit  too,  an'  we've 
got  fish  a-plenty,  an  we're  'boun'  ter  be  con- 
tented an'  not  be  puttin'  on  no  airs  ter  sp'ile  it 
all." 

Ralph  was  conscious  of  a  feeling  af  almost 
bitter  envy  when  he  looked  into  the  old  man's 
contented  face,  and  again  the  old  sad  ques- 
tion that  has  wruna;  so  manv  hearts  thrust  itself 
upon  him:  "Why  must  I  suffer  while  they  go 
care-free?"  He  put  it  away  from  him,  saying 
to  himself,  I  will  try  to  forget  it.  I  must  try 
to  rest ;  I  shall  lose  my  mind  if  I  do  not. 


112  Ealpii  Fabian's  Mistakes 

Tie  talked  with  'Squire  Comstock  about  the 
crops,  about  the  railrotul,  and  what  it  had  done 
for  the  oponiuc;  up  of  this  mountain  country. 
He  tried  to  be  genial  and  friendly  with  his  kind- 
hearted  host,  and  after  an  early  supper,  he  fol- 
lowed the  custom  of  the  family  and  retired. 
Fortunately,  what  witli  his  ten-mile  tramp,  and 
the  soothing  effect  of  the  air,  he  slept  pro- 
foundly. 

And  now  let  us  look  back  for  awhile.  Two  or 
three  days  after  Ealph  had  had  the  conversation 
with  Elsie  Moring  recorded  at  the  close  of  the 
last  chapter,  as  he  was  hurrying  on  an  errand 
in  one  of  the  busiest  portions  of  the  city,  he 
came  face  to  face  with  Burton  Ciscoe  !^ 

Neither  spoke,  but  there  was  an  evil  smile  of 
triumph  on  Ciscoe's  face  that  sent  the  blood  to 
Fabian's  head,  and  almost  made  him  forget 
business,  but  he  recovered  himself  and  returned 
to  the  warehouse  by  another  rout<3  to  avoid  meet- 
ing Ciscoe. 

When  evening  came,  having  been  able  to  get 
off  from  the  store  earlier,  he  determined  to  go 
to  Colonel  Moring's.  ":Miss  Elsie  always  cheers 
me,  and  I'm  sure  she  will  not  question  me  any 
further.  iSTothing  could  have  been  nicer  than 
the  way  she  changed  the  subject  the  other  evcn- 

in<x." 

When  he  reached  Colonel  Moring's  the  ser- 
vant told  him  that  Miss  Elsie  had  just  gone 


Kalph  Fabian's  Mistakes  143 

round  to  Miss  Lucy  Laymore's,  and  Ralph  re- 
solved to  follow  her. 

On  entering-  the  parlor  he  noticed  that  both 
girls  looked  confused,  but  he  took  no  notice  of 
it,  except  to  explain  that  he  had  called  on  Elsie 
and,  finding  that  she  was  here,  had  followed  her. 

There  was  a  soiled  and  crumpled  letter  lying 
near  Lucy  Laymore's  hand,  that  rested  on  the 
table,  and  it  looked  so  out  of  place  there  that  it 
aroused  Ralph's  curiosity. 

"Miss  Lucy,"  he  said  in  a  tone  of  unwonted 
fun,  for  him:  "You  must  have  fallen  a  victim 
to  some  of  the  numerous  beggars  that  are  abroad 
in  the  land." 

The  girls  exchanged  glances,  then  Lucy  said 
in  a  low  tone : 

"Tell  him.  Else.  Show  it  to  him.  Of  course 
it  is  either  an  ugly  joke,  or  a  contemptible  act 
that  ought  to  be  exposed." 

Elsie's  face  flushed ;  she  hesitated  for  a  mo- 
ment, then  handed  the  letter  to  Ralph,  saying : 

"I  am  very  much  ashamed  of  it,  Mr.  Fabian. 
It  is  the  first  anonymous  letter  I  ever  received, 
and  but  for  one  curious  sentence  in  it  I  would 
have  destroyed  it  and  you  should  never  have 
heard  of  it.  This  was  what  we  were  discussing 
when  you  came  in." 

Ralph's  heart  throbbed  and  his  hand  trem- 
bled as  he  took  the  letter,  but  he  laughed  faintly 
as  he  said : 

'Anonymous  letters  are  scarcely  worth  notic- 


ii 


144  Ealph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

ing,  but  I'd  like  to  know  who  dared  to  send  you 
one!"  His  eyes  flashed  as  he  glanced  down  at 
the  letter.  It  was  stamped  at  the  top  with  the 
name  of  a  prominent  hotel  and  the  handwriting 
was  that  of  an  educated  person.  This  is  what 
Ealph  Fabian  read: 

"Miss  Morixg: — I  know  your  family  posi- 
tion in  Baltimore,  and  your  reputation  for  all 
the  attractions  that  go  to  make  a  belle.  I  there- 
fore feel  bound  to  warn  you, — and  trust  you  ex- 
cuse the  liberty, — to  warn  you  that  among  your 
admirers  is  a  man  who  is  not  worthy  of  your 
acquaintance.  He  is  a  soft-mannered  rascal 
from  South  Carolina. 

"Ask  him  if  he  ever  went  to  B College, 

and  why  he  left."  "X.  X." 

The  last  sentence  was  underscored.  Ralph's 
face  wore  the  hue  of  a  corpse  by  the  time  he 
had  finished  reading,  A  blinding  fury  of  hate 
possessed  him,  as  he  crushed  the  miserable  let- 
ter in  his  hands. 

For  a  few  moments  he  could  not  speak ;  but 
by  an  effort  he  said  at  last :  "I  know  the  author 
of  this  letter,  Miss  Elsie.  I  saw  him  on  the 
street  to-day.  He  has  pursued  me  with  the  un- 
relenting zeal  of  a  blood-hound.  If  you  had 
asked  me  these  questions  of  your  own  accord, 
I  would  answer  them,  but  as  questions  recom- 
mended by  the  scoundrel  Burton  Ciscoe,  I  re- 


Kalph  Fabian's  Mistakes  145 

fuse,  and  noAV  I  want  to  say," — ho  glancetl  to- 
wards Lucy  Laymore,  but  his  eyes  lingered  on 
Elsie, — "to  you  who  have  been  so  good  to  me 
ever  since  I  came  to  Baltimore,  I  shall  have  to 
go  away.  If  I  stay  here  and  meet  Ciscoe  I  will 
kill  him.  I  shall  at  once  ask  for  a  vacation, 
and  I  want  you  to  know  why  I  am  going,  I 
shall  not  explain  to  any  one  else. 

"You  will  hear  that  I  have  run  away ;  you 
will  hear  other  false  and  cruel  things ;  what  I 
ask  of  you," — here  he  fixed  his  eyes  on  Elsie, 
— "what  I  ask  of  vou  is  to  believe  in  me,  and 
to  wait.  Some  day  I  may  be  able  to  explain 
things."  Saying  this  he  rose  from  his  seat  to 
go. 

"Oh,  Mr.  Fabian,  don't  go  away  from  Balti- 
more," cried  Elsie  with  quivering  lips  and  eyes 
filling  with  tears.  She  put  out  her  hands  as  if 
to  keep  him. 

"Stay,  stay,  and  live  down  the  slander  and 
evil  report  that  you  fear." 

But  Ralph  shook  his  head,  and  grasping  her 
hand  and  then  Lucy's,  in  farewell,  left  the 
room. 

The  next  day  he  asked  for  a  vacation,  pre- 
pared, if  it  was  not  granted,  to  resign  his  place, 
but  his  employer,  seeing  the  young  man's  pallid 
face,  granted  him  leave  of  absence  for  two 
weeks. 

"Go  home  and  rest,  Fabian!  You  need  your 
mother's  petting."         -     - 


146  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

Poor  Ralph  winced  under  this  well-meant  ad- 
vice, but  he  thanked  his  employer  and  turned 
away  quickly. 

After  having  packed  his  belongings  and  left 
them  in  charge  of  a  friend,  he  left  Baltimore, 
his  destination  only  decided  at  the  last  moment, 
we  may  say,  for  it  was  a  remark  overheard  at 
the  station,  as  to  the  cheapness  of  the  summer 
tickets  to  Western  Carolina  that  gave  him  the 
suggestion.  And  now  let  us  return  to  Com- 
stock's. 

For  two  weeks  Ralph  was  as  care-free  as  a 
man  could  be  under  the  circumstances.  Mo- 
ments, aye,  hours,  of  loneliness  and  of  longing 
he  had, — homesickness  for  Alicia,  heart  sickness 
for  Elsie  Moring,  but  something  in  the  quiet- 
ness of  the  place,  and  in  the  bracing  effect  of 
^he  crisp  September  air  seemed  to  quell  his  bit- 
terness, or  at  least  to  dilute  it,  so  that  it  was 
more  bearable. 

'Squire  Comstock,  good  old  man  that  he  was, 
had  vainly  tried  to  persuade  Ralph  to  go  to 
church  with  them.  He  always  shook  his  head 
pleasantly,  and  said  the  mountains  and  the 
birds,  and  the  voice  of  the  river  preached  better 
sermons  than  he  could  hear  at  church. 

"Preacher,"  the  'Squire  said  to  the  young 
missionary  who  preached  at  Balsam  Chapel 
every  other  Sunday,  "I  wisht  you'd  try  to  git 
a  hold  on  that  young  feller  down  to  my  house. 
He  'pears  like  a  fine  fellar  in  some  respec's,  but 


Ralph  Fabian's  ]\Iistakes  147 

he's  got  no  religion  es  I  kin  see,  even  when  I 
put  on  my  spectacles.  It's  not  that.  He  seems 
like  he'd  got  some  kind  o'  deep  trouble  on  his 
mind,  too,  fur  M'raudy's  heerd  liiin  a-groanin' 
in  the  night,  and  once  lie  "was  a-sittin'  with  his 
head  sorter  bowed  down,  I  savs: 

"You're  feelin'  poorly,  Mr.  Fabian,"  an'  he 
raised  his  head,  an'  he  looked  sorter  pitiful 
outer  his  eyes  an'  says : 

"My  body's  all  right,  but  a  sound  body's  not 
all  a  man  needs."  With  that  his  mouth  shet 
like  a  trap,  an'  I  daresn't  ask  him  nothin' 
more." 

"I'm  coming  over  to  see  him,  'Squire.  You 
know  I  don't  have  much  time  for  social  visit- 
ing," he  smiled  pleasantly  as  he  spoke,  "but  if 
Mr.  Fabian  needs  cheer  and  I  can  give  it,  I'll 
make  the  time." 


148  Kalpu  Pabian's  Mistakjes 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

THE    MOUXTAIJf    JIISSIONARy's    WOBK. 

The  longer  Ralpli  remained  among  these  sim- 
ple-hearted kindly  people,  the  more  he  shrank 
from  returning  to  the  big  busy  world  where 
Langston  and  Ciscoe  hounded  his  footsteps.  On 
his  many  fishing  tramps  he  had  abundant  time 
for  thought,  and  decided,  just  before  his  vaca- 
tion expired,  to  resign  his  place  and  to  trust  to 
finding  something  to  do  where  he  was,  at  least 
for  the  present. 

It  may  seem  strange  that  the  decision  gave 
him  pleasure,  but  it  did,  and  he  was  able  to 
write  Alicia  a  bright  letter,  and  to  sign  it  "Your 
farmer  brother." 

One  afternoon,  probably  three  weeks  after  he 
liad  been  at  Comstock's,  he  had  been  on  a  long 
tramp,  and  as  he  approached  the  house  through 
the  orchard  and  at  tlae  side  of  it,  the  sound  of 
strange  voices  on  the  porch  arrested  his  steps 
and  he  stood  and  listened. 

"Bert,"  some  one  called  out  from  what 
'Squire  Comstock  called  the  "'Office,"  "I  see  the 
name  of  R.  M.  Fabian  on  the  register.  Wonder 
if  it's  the  one  we  knew." 


Kalph  Fabian's  Mistakes  149 

"I  thought  his  first  name  was  Ralph,"  was  the 
careless  reply. 

"1  wonder  what  ever  becanio  of  him,  any- 
how," continued  the  other  speaker.  "I  always 
thouii;ht  his  class  treated  him  shabbily." 

'Squire  Comstock  was  listening  intently.  He 
was  gromng  fond  of  Ralph,  and  had  always 
been  curious  about  him.  JSTothing  but  the  old 
man's  instinctive  refinement  had  kept  him  from 
questioning  many  times. 

''Was  you  uns  talkin'  'bout  Mr.  Fabian,  that's 
stoppin'  here  ?  Do  you  nns  know  him  ?  lie 
'pears  mighty  lonesome  like,  an'  I'd  be  power- 
ful glad  ef  some  o'  his  friends  would  come 
along." 

"We  were  in  college  with  a  man  of  that  name, 
but  I  can't  say  I  knew  him.     I  was  in  a  lower 

class.    He  didn't  stay;  he  got  into  some " 

Ralph  did  not  wait  to  hear  the  rest  of  the  sen- 
tence, but  turning,  he  fled  past  the  kitchen  and 
down  towards  the  spring,  his  heart  hot  with  in- 
dignation and  despair. 

At  the  spring  house  the  girls  were  straining 
and  putting  away  the  milk,  and  singing  mer- 
rily. Usually  when  Ralph  passed  at  that  time 
of  the  evening  he  would  stop  and  chat  with 
them,  and  get  a  glass  of  milk,  but  now  he  did 
not  seem  to  see  them,  and  his  white  face  and 
stern  expression  terrified  them. 

He  crossed  the  log  that  bridged  the  branch 
just  below  the  spring,  and  going  down  where  the 


150  TiALPH  Fabian's  Mistakes 

stream  was  bolder  and  sAvifter,  tJirew  himself 
down  utterly  exhausted  by  the  intensity  of  his 
feeling.  Must  this  tiling  go  on  for  ever?  Must 
he  be  haunted  by  this  miserable  peccadillo  all 
througli  a  long  life.  He  could  bear  it  no  longer ! 
Why  not  end  it  right  here  ?  ''Curse  God  and 
die!"  hissed  the  Evil  one. 

He  rose  to  his  feet,  too  absorbed  in  his  agony 
to  hear  the  approach  of  the  man  who  was  com- 
ing towards  him  down  the  steep  path  behind  the 
rocky  cliff  that  stood  some  twenty-five  or  thirty 
feet  above  the  stream. 

'Tor  I  know  whate'er  befalls  me, 
Jesus  doeth  all  things  well !" 

The  words,  sounding  out  so  clear  and  strong, 
not  only  startled  but  seemed  to  madden  Ralph 
Fabian.  ''Who  has  'done  all  tilings  well  for 
me  V  Life  has  been  only  a  curse  for  me,  noth- 
ing has  been  'well  for  me,'  he  thought,  and,  with 
a  bitter  cry  he  swung  his  arms  above  his  head 
and  made  ready  to  plunge  into  the  water,  when 
he  felt  himself  seized  from  behind  with  a  pow- 
erful grip. 

"Don't,  my  brother!"  The  tone  was  at  once 
firm  and  gentle.  "Your  life  is  not  your  own  to 
throw  away." 

The  suddenness  of  the  seizue,  the  vise-like 
hold,  the  friendly  voice  coming  when  his  nerv- 
ous system  was  under  such  strain,  all  combined 


Kalph  Fabian's  Mistakes  151 

to  quell  his  frenzy.  lie  completely  collapsed 
and  would  have  fallen  but  for  the  strong  arms 
of  the  young  preacher  who  had  rescued  him. 

"Sit  do"wii  here  and  tell  me  what  your  trouble 
is,  Mr.  Fabian,  for  I  see  that  you  are  in  trouble. 
It  is  a  healthy  thing  both  to  give  and  to  take 
sympathy.  You  have  been  on  my  mind  all  day, 
and  1  felt  just  obliged  to  come  over.  Don't  you 
believe  that  God  sent  me?   I  do." 

Ralph  obeyed  as  quietly  as  a  child,  not  only 
sitting  down  by  Preacher  Barlov/'s  side,  but 
pouring  out  the  whole  story  of  his  persecution 
up  to  the  present,  and  the  sad  story  fell  on 
sympathizing  ears.  Tim  Barlow  first  soothed 
the  sore  heart,  and  then  reasoned  with  the  poor 
fellow,  showing  him  clearly  how  God  had  al- 
lowed him  to  try  his  own  way  of  fighting 
trouble,  only  to  show  him  the  more  excellent 
one. 

''Don't  resist  God's  call.  He  sent  me  to  you, 
I  feel  sure  of  that.  I  do  not  understand  why 
He  should  have  chosen  me  to  bring  you  this 
message,  but  He  did.  Come,  now,"  he  con- 
tinued, laying  his  great  strong  hand  on  Ralph's 
arm  as  he  sought  with  the  same  earnestness  to 
rescue  his  soul  that  he  had  shown  a  little  while 
before  to  rescue  his  body,  "quit  this  terrible 
morbid  fight  against  God;  take  back  the  bitter 
things  you  have  thought  about  your  heavenly 
Father.  Never  blame  God  for  the  grievous  sins 
of  men;  the  best  of  them  err  often  in  their  in- 


152  Ralph  FABiAx't^  Mistakes 

terpretation  of  God's  laws,  but  God  never  errs. 
lie  cannot  make  mistakes.  He  loves  von,  oh, 
imy  brother!  He  loved  you  enough  to  give  His 
only  begotten  Son  to  save  you.    Hasn't  Pie  ?" 

"Oh,"  said  Ralph  with  a  deep  groan,  "it 
seems  a  strange  way  to  show  His  love,  to  send 
me  so  much  trouble — such  liumiliation  and  such 
treatment  from  my  own  father !" 

"You  are  still  looking  at  yourself,  your 
troubles,  your  wrongs.  I'm  urging  you  to  look 
off  to  Jesus.  Do  you  suppose  that  when  the 
children  of  Israel  were  bitten  by  the  venomous 
serpents  that  they  stopped  to  complain  of  the 
bites  ?  God  commanded  them  by  Moses  to  look 
at  the  Brazen  Serpent,  and  they  looked  and 
lived !  So  now,  oh.,  my  brother,  look  to  Jesus ! 
He  is  waiting  to  be  gracious." 

With  his  hand  still  upon  Ealph  Fabian's  arm 
the  young  missionary  began  to  sing  in  soft,  clear 
tones : 

"Come  ye  sinners,  poor  and  wretched, 
Weak  and  wounded,  sick  and  sore, 

Jesus  ready  stands  to  save  you. 
Full  of  pity,  love  and  power, 
He  is  able. 

He  is  willing,  doubt  no  more. 

Let  not  conscience  make  you  linger, 

Nor  of  fitness  fondly  dream, 
All  the  fitness  he  requireth 


Halpii  Fabian's  Mistakes  153 

Is  to  feel  your  need  of  Him. 

This  He  gives  you, 
'Tis  the  Spirit's  rising-  beam. 

Come  ye  Aveary,  heavy  laden, 

Lost  and  ruined  by  the  fall, 
If  you  wait  till  you  are  better 

You  will  never  come  at  all ! 
Not  the  righteous, — 

Sinners  Jesus  came  to  call." 

It  was  no  mawkish  religious  sentiment  that 
caused  the  young  preacher  to  sing  just  now,  in- 
stead of  talking.  He  felt  the  arm,  indeed  the 
whole  body  of  Ralph  Fabian,  trembling.  He 
realized  that  not  only  were  his  nerves  reacting 
after  the  awful  strain  of  the  last  half  hour,  but 
he  believed  that  the  great  deep  of  the  poor  fel- 
low's soul  was  stirred.  He  recognized  the 
soothing,  yes,  even  the  converting  power  of 
music,  on  a  troubled  mind,  and  his  own  soul, 
too,  was  moved  with  that  divine  compassion 
that  makes  the  Christian  like  his  Master.  Here 
was  this  poor  fellow,  apparently  forsaken,  fly- 
ing from  friends  and  foes,  seeking  deatli  to  end 
his  trouble.  God  seemed  to  have  sent  him  to 
save  Ralph  Fabian.  He  believed  it  as  religious- 
ly as  he  believed  that  he  had  been  called  to  the 
ministry. 

By  the  time  he  had  reached  the  second  verse 
of  the  hymn  Ralph  was  sobbing  convulsively. 


154  Ralph  Fabian^s  Mistakes 

"Oh,"  he  said,  ''if  all  this  is  so,  I  have  been 
fighting  against  God  all  this  time !  But,  oh, 
don't  you  see  how  hard  it  was  to  submit  to  my 
father's  command,  and  the  entreaties  of  my 
friends  to  live  down  the  evil  reports  ?" 

"Xever  mind  all  that.  Don't  look  behind 
you.  Jesus  says:  'Come!'  You  need  his  love, 
you  need  all  the  comfort  of  tlie  promises,  all 
the  blessed  reward  of  simple  faith.  Begin  right 
now,  my  brother ;  riiiht  now  I     Will  vou  ?" 

Preacher  Barlow's  eager  eves  were  fixed  on 
Balph.  His  strong  face  was  lit  by  a  smile  of 
remarkable  sweetness,  and  his  firm,  warm  hand 
rested  on  Ralph's,  which  were  cold  and  trem- 
bling. 

"I  will  try,"  he  said. 

"Then  let  me  ask  God's  blessing." 

Together  they  kneeled  as  he  said: 

"Let  us  pray: 

"O  God,  our  heavenly  Father,  tliy  tired,  sore- 
hearted  child  has  come  to  Thee  at  last.  Come 
empty-handed,  sinful,  yet  confident  that  thou 
wilt  hear  him.  Forgive  the  mistakes  of  the 
past.  Givp  him  grtice  for  the  present  and  hope 
for  the  future.     Amen." 

By  this  time  the  sun  had  set,  and  Barlow  be- 
gan to  fear  that  Ralph  was  threatened  with  a 
chill.    He  rose  to  his  feet  and  said : 

"Fabian,  I'm  going  to  the  house  with  you, 
and  I'm  going  to  put  you  to  bed  and  stay  with 
you  to-night.    You'll  let  me — won't  you  V 


Ralph  Fabi.ax's  Mistakes 


155 


For  answer  llalph  tlirew  his  arm  across  the 
young  preacher's  shoulder.  lie  could  only  nod 
his  liead  in  reply. 

They  crossed  the  branch  and  went  slowly 
towards  tlie  house. 

Barlow  said:  ''AYe  will  go  to  the  kitchen. 
They  are  all  probably  at  supper  now,  and  you 
will  not  care  to  meet  the  strangers  at  table.  I'll 
ask  Mrs.  Comstock  to  give  us  our  supper  in  the 
kitchen,  and  we  can  go  right  up  to  your  room 
afterwards." 

The  thoughtfulness,  the  gentleness,  and  the 
quiet  commanding  tone  left  Ralph  no  room  to 
refuse. 

"Sister  Comstock,"  said  Tim  Barlow,  as  they 
reached  the  kitchen  door,  "Mr.  Fabian  and  I 
are  late,  and  do  not  deserve  to  go  to  the  table, 
but  if  you'll  forgive  us  and  give  us  a  bite  apiece 
here,  we'll  be  good  boys  and  never  do  so  again." 

Mrs.  Comstock  looked  surprised.  The  girls 
had  already  told  how  queerly  Fabian  looked 
when  he  passed  the  spring  house,  but  she  be- 
lieved in  the  young  preacher,  and  whatever  he 
asked  seemed  right  to  her. 

"Well,"  she  answered  with  a  good-natured 
laugh,  "I'm  ahvays  ready  tor  sp'ile  you,  and 
Mr.  Fabian's  never  been  late  before,  an'  I'm 
boun'  ter  let  him  off."  And  she  bustled  around 
to  get  them  some  supper. 

"Thar's  strangers  in  thar,"  she  pointed  to  the 


156  R.viPH  Fabian's  Mistakes 

dining  room ;  "they  come  from  Georgy,  an'  are 
goin'  ter  the  Roan  in  the  mornin'." 

This  neAvs  was  heard  with  relief  by  both 
young  men.  When  they  had  finished  supper 
Barlow  said : 

"Mr.  Fabian's  not  very  well,  and  I'm  going 
to  doctor  him,  and  if  you'll  let  me,  I'll  sleep 
here  to-night.'' 

"You're  always  welcome  here,  Brother  Bar- 
low," said  the  old  lady  with  a  beaming  smile, 
and  they  passed  through  the  dark  hallway  and 
up  to  Fabian's  room. 

As  they  sat  together  by  the  fire  the  young 
missionary  skilfully  diverted  Ealph's  attention 
from  himself  by  telling  of  some  of  his  ad- 
ventures and  experiences. 

"It's  a  grand  work  I  am  helping  to  do,"  he 
said.  "There  is  no  honor  that  men  could  offer 
me  that  I  would  exchange  for  this  conviction. 
My  father  had  ambitious  hopes  for  me,  and  he 
has  not  yet  granted  that  it  is  the  highest  honor 
a  man  can  achieve  to  belong  to  the  Lord's  Sal- 
vation Army  of  the  Churcli,  but  I  know  it !" 

Ralph's  face  was  flushed,  his  eyes  were  too 
bright,  and  Barlow,  who  was  equipped  as  a  doc- 
tor as  well  as  a  preacher,  said : 

"Xow,  let's  read  something  from  this  blessed 
book,  then  I  want  to  give  you  a  powder  and 
you  must  go  to  bed.  I'm  going  down  to  sit 
with  'Squire  for  awhile  until  you  get  to  sleep." 

The  selections  he  read  were,  first,  the  old,  old 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  157 

storj  of  the  prodig-al  son,  and  then  a  few  verses 
of  the  fifth  chapter  of  Romans,  beginning  with 
the  eighth  verse. 

It  was  all  new  and  strange  to  Ralph.  For 
the  first  time  in  his  life  his  ears  were  really 
opened  to  the  truth,  and  as  Timothy  Barlow 
closed  his  33ible  he  said  to  him: 

"Go  to  sleep,  my  brother,  with  those  wonder- 
ful words  ringing  in  your  ears  like  heavenly 
music:  'Much  more!    Much  more'!" 

Several  times  during  the  night,  with  the 
tenderness  of  a  woman,  did  he  step  softly  from 
his  own  bed  across  the  room  and,  bending  over 
Ralph,  feel  his  pulse  and  murmur  a  prayer  for 
him.     He  had  rescued  him,  body  and  soul ! 

"And  the  soul  of  Jonathan  was  knit  with 
the  soul  of  David,  and  Jonathan  loved  him  as 
his  own  soul." 


153  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

THE   CO:XVEKSION   OF   MR.    FABIAN. 

It  is  a  long  time  since  tlie  readers  of  this 
story  have  been  to  Ehnhurst.  Let  ns  make  the 
dear  old  place  a  little  visit  now.  We  will  find 
it  sad  and  quiet,  though  merry  children's  voices 
are  heard  there  from  time  to  time. 

We  will  find  Mr.  Fabian  looking  mnch  older 
and  feebler  than  when  w^e  last  saw  him.  iS^o 
man  can  pass  through  the  deep  waters  of  such 
a  sorrow  as  his  and  not  bear  the  marks. 

Some  one  has  said  that  "a  great  sorrow  re- 
casts a  soul.  It  either  draws  it  nearer  to  God, 
or  drives  it  further  from  Him." 

This  was  true  in  Mr.  Fabian's  case,  to  a  cer- 
tain extent.  He  Avas  certainly  nearer  to  God, 
inasmuch  as  he  was  more  humble,  and  more 
sympathetic  with  men  whose  children  h.ad  not 
turned  out  well,  but  he  had  not  yet  learned  the 
lesson  the  Great  Teacher  had  set  him,  and  it 
was  reserved  for  old  Ben  to  make  it  plain  to 

liim ! 

Alicia  faithfully  kept  her  father  informed  as 
to  w4iat  she  knew  of  Ralph's  movements,  but 


Ralph  Fabiak's  Mistakes  159 

only  through  the  medium  of  her  letters  to  her 
mother,  which  Mr.  Fabian  alwa^'s  read,  and 
returned  to  his  wife  without  comment. 

The  conflict  between  the  love  that  dwelt  deep 
do^\Ti  in  the  father-heart,  and  his  stern  concep- 
tion of  parental  duty  had  been  very  great ;  it 
went  on  without  respite,  and  had  increased  his 
reserve,  even  with  his  wife. 

ISTone  but  God  knew  of  the  agony  that  many 
a  night  wrung  his  soul,  and  none  suspected  that 
this  man  had  not  yet  learned  to  say,  "Thy  will 
be  done !" 

Mrs.  Fabian's  feeble  efforts  to  assert  her  own 
convictions  by  right  of  the  mother  love  in  her 
heart,  had  signally  failed.  She  simply  suffered 
in  silence,  never  allnding  to  Ralph,  excepting 
to  Maiim  Jane,  or  Daddy  Ben,  and  Mr.  Fa- 
bian accepted  this  silence  as  a  part  of  his  bur- 
den. 

Alicia,  after  much  prayer  and  consultation 
with  her  husband,  decided  that  God  had  some 
purpose  in  the  condition  of  things  which  He 
had  not  yet  revealed  to  them,  but  which  slie 
confidently  expected  to  understand  some  day, 
and  she  felt  that  the  best  way  to  befriend  Ralph 
was  to  avoid  mentioning  him  to  her  father,  and 
she  came  and  went  in  the  old  home,  grieving  in 
her  heart,  but  always  trying  to  cheer  her 
parents. 

One  morning  towards  the  last  of  September, 
just  about  the  time  of  Ralph's  rescue,  Maum 


160  Rai.ph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

Jane  came  up  to  the  house  quite  early  in  the 
morning,  and  knocked  at  Mrs.  Fabian's  door. 

"Miss  Marie,  I  hates  to  disturb  you  so  soon, 
but  Ben's  mighty  bad  off,  an'  'e  oughten  hab  de 
doctor.  I  done  tried  ebry  t'ing  1  kin,  but  'e 
don'  git  no  relief,  an'  'e's  des  a-moanin'  an' 
groanin',  an  a-callin'  fuh  Marse  Ralph,  'Pears 
like  'e's  got  somefin'  on  'e's  niin'  dat  'e's  'blcegcd 
to  tell  Marse  Ralph,  an'  ef  'e  would  come  down 
I'd  sholy  be  glad." 

"Very  well,  Jane,  I'll  tell  Ralph.  I'm  sorry 
Ben  is  so  sick." 

"Was  he  sick  yesterday  ?"  asked  Mr.  Fabian, 
coming  to  the  door  partly  dressed.  "He  never 
told  me  anything  about  it." 

"Well,  suh,  'e's  been  po'ly  fuh  two  er  t'ree 
days,  but  Ben  ain't  one  o'  you  complainin'  kin' ; 
'e  keeps  'e's  mout  shet  too  much.  I  been  a-look- 
in'  fuh  dis,"  she  added,  shaking  her  head 
mournfully. 

"Looking  for  it  ?     Why,  how's  that?" 

"Well,  you  see,  Marse  Ralph,"  she  said  as 
she  leaned  against  the  door-post  and  wiped  her 
eyes  with  the  corner  of  her  apron,  "all  dem 
signs  I  been  a-seein'  dey  des  'bleeged  to  mean 
somefin',  an'  I'm  'fraid  dat  Ben's  time  is  sut- 
tenly  come." 

"Why,  Jane!  I  am  surprised  that  a  good 
Christian  woman  like  you  would  take  notice  of 
'signs.'  What  kind  of  signs  were  they?"  he 
asked  with  a  laugh. 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  161 

Maum  Jane's  eyes  flashed  through  her  tears. 
''Didn'  a  bird  come  flyin'  clean  t'rough  de  house 
las'  week,  an'  jiste'dav  didn''a  w'ite  buttx3rfly 
come  a-flittin'  in  an'  res'  g'inst  de  wall  right  by 
de  bed  way  Ben's  a-lyin'  now  ?  An'  didn'  ole 
Vix  des  Stan'  in  front  de  do'  las'  niiilit  an'  howl 
dere,  'dough  nobody  nor  nuttin'  in  sight?  Yes, 
suh,  I  seed  dem  signs  wid  my  own  eyes,  an'  you 
can'  mek  me  b'lieve  dey  don'  mean  nuttin.  I 
ain't  lib  dis  long  in  de  worl'  for  nuttin'." 

"You  are  very  foolish,  all  the  same,  I  think. 
God's  Word  forbids  all  such  things." 

"Wat  dat  'bout  de  sign  ob  de  Son  ob  Man?" 
she  asked  triumphantly.  "Dat  suttenly  is  in  de 
Bible,  full  Missy  read  it  to  me  las'  time  she 
wus  yere,  an'  I  got  Bruddcr  Bascom  ter  preach 
'bout  it  las'  Sunday." 

"Nonsense!  Nonsense!  That  is  something 
very  different,  and  we  know  nothing  about  it, 
but  it  certainly  does  not  mean  birds  and  but- 
tei-flies  and  howling  dogs.  Go  home,  and  tell 
Ben  I'll  come  down  before  sundowTi  this  even- 


>j 


mg. 

When  Mr.  Fabian  returned  at  dinner  time 
Mrs.  Fabian,  who  had  spent  a  part  of  the  morn- 
ing at  the  cabin,  said  to  liim : 

"Ralph,  Ben  is  very  ill,  T  think.  The  doc- 
tor says  his  fever  is  high.  It  is  either  rheumatic 
fever  or  grip,  and  either  way  will  go  hard  with 
the  old  man.    He  keeps  calling  for  you,  and  if 


162  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 


you   do  not  go  early  he  may  not  be   able  to 
recognize  you." 

She  did  not  tell  him  that  Ben  had  also  called 
again  and  again  for  "Sonny."  She  felt  sure  that 
the  old  man  had  something  on  his  mind  about 
Ealph,  and  she  caught  eagerly  at  the  hope  that 
the  long-prayed-for  reconciliation  might  be 
near. 

Mr.  Fabian  went  do^\Ti  immediately  after 
dinner,  and  as  soon  as  he  entered  the  room  saw 
that  Daddy  Ben  was  a  very  ill  man. 

When  he  approached  the  bed  the  old  man's 
eyes  were  closed,  but  he  heard  a  step  and 
opened  them,  and  as  soon  as  he  saw  Mr.  Fa- 
bian he  smiled  and  held  out  his  hand,  saying : 

"Bress  de  Lawd  you  come  at  las',  Marse 
Ralph!  I'm  a-goin'  dis  time,  an'  de  Lawd  sen' 
you  a  message,  an'  I  been  jes'  a-prayin'  de  good 
Lawd  ter  keep  my  min'  clear  'tell  you  come  to 
git  it." 

"Oh,  cheer  up !  Cheer  up,  man,  you'll  be  out 
again  soon,  I  hope.  Take  care  of  yourself  and 
try  to  get  well." 

*Mr.  Fabian's  heart  gave  a  quick  throb  when 
Ben  said  he  had  a  "message  from  the  Lord"  for 
him.  He  had  always  been  afraid  that  the  old 
man  would  talk  to  him  about  Ralph,  if  he  gave 
him  an  opportunity.  Maum  Jane  came  in  with 
a  large  rocker  that  Alicia  had  given  her  at 
Christmas,  and  placed  it  beside  the  bed,  and 
Mr.  Fabian  sat  down. 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  163 

"Jane,  you  go  out  an'  keep  dem  niggers  fum 
comin'  in.  I  got  somefin'  to  say  to  Marse  Ralph 
'fo'  (lis  yer  feber  git  hoi'  o'  my  tongue." 

Maum  Jane  dared  not  refuse  to  obey  his 
command,  but  she  went  reluctantlv,  for  she  had 
been  intensely  interested  in  this  interview. 

As  soon  as  she  had  gone  Ben  said: 

"Marse  Ealph,  I  been  fait'ful  to  you  all  dese 
years,  ain't  dat  so  ?" 

"You  certainly  have,  Ben,  and  the  Lord  will 
surely  reward  you  for  it." 

"  'E's  done  gib  me  my  reward  already,"  re- 
plied the  old  man;  "fait'fulness  reward  'eself. 
Well,  ef  I  been  fait'ful,  den  you  know  I  lub 
you,  an  dat  ef  I  eber  do  anything  contrary  to 
you  well  its  'case  I  lub  de  Lawd  better'n  I  does 
you.  Sometime,  you  know,  de  Lawd  mek  it  so 
clear  w'at's  de  right  t'ing,  dat  none  but  a  fool 
w^ould  dar'  to  refuse  to  do  it.  Dat's  de  way  its 
been  wid  me.  Xow  listen!  Don'  stop  me  tell 
I  gits  clean  t'rough.  Wen  Sonny  come  home 
fum  collidge " 

Mr.  Fabian  gave  a  start,  and  said : 

"Let  that  subject  alone,  Ben ;  you've  got 
nothing  to  do  with  it." 

"Nuttin'  to  do  wid  it !  Xuttin'  to  do  wid  it  ? 
Ain't  you  a  Fabian?  Ain't  Sonny  a  Fabian? 
An',  please  de  Lawd,  ain't  I  a  Fabian?  W'at 
eber  teches  one  Fabian  hu'ts  all!  Xow,  le'  me 
go  on.  Wen  Sonny  come  home,  you  lay  a 
heaby   ban'    on    de   boy,    an'   you   clean   bruk 


164:  Ralph  Fabiax's  Mistakes 

(broke)  'e's  sperit.  You  sen'  'im  off.  De  good 
Book  say,  w'en  my  fader  au'  my  mndder  fur- 
sake  me,  den  de  Lawd  will  take  me  up.  Kow, 
dat's  des  w'at  de  Lawd  done,  but  'E  took  me  an' 
Jane  to  do  it  fuh  Him." 

Mr.  Fabian  was  too  astonished  and  too  curi- 
ous to  interrupt  the  old  man  by  questions  now. 

"W'en  3'ou  doubt  Sonny's  word,  you  des 
break  'es  lia-at,  an'  w'en  dat  boy  tu'n  'e  back  on 
you,  'e  des  make  a  bee  line  fuh — Daddy  Ben 
an'  Mammy!" 

The  old  man  smiled  at  the  thought,  and 
though  he  was  panting  from  weakness,  his  voice 
had  a  tone  of  triumph  in  it. 

"Yes,  suh,  Marse  Ralph,  'e  come  right  yere, 
an'  'e  tell  me  an'  Jane  eberyt'ing,  wid  de  tears 
a-runnin'  like  a  ribber.  'E  as'  me  w'at  to  do, 
w'ar  to  go,  an'  you  t'ink  I  could  tu'n  any  Fa- 
bian 'way  w'en  'e  wus  in  trouble  ?  'E  made  a 
mistake,  dat's  true,  but  t'aint  no  mo'  dan  you 
done  you'self.  Ben's  a-goin'  Home  now,  Marse 
Ralph,  let  'im  tell  you  de  plain  trufe  befo'  'e 
goes.  You  cain't  nebber  bring  you'  boy  to  de 
Lawd  by  dribin,'  you  got  to  go  run  ter  meet 
'im,  an'  fall  on  'is  neck  an'  kiss  'ira,  sho' !" 

By  this  time  Mr.  Fabian's  face  was  buried  in 
his  handkerchief — he  was  weeping. 

"Marse  Ralph,  de  good  Lawd  le'  me  an'  Jane 
sabe  up  fuh  we  buryin',  an'  bress  'is  name,  w'en 
dat  po'  cas'-off  boy  come  yere  we  had  'nough  to 
let  'im  hab  fifty  dollars  to  sta-at  on ;  an'  'e  took 


Kalph  Fabiax's  ]\ri stakes  165 

it,  an'  glad  to  take  it.  I  tell  'im  cf  it  wus  nig- 
ger niouey,  it  was  clean.  De  eariiin's  ob  ha-ad 
walk." 

Mr.  Fabian  raised  his  head,  his  eyes  still  wet 
with  tears,  and  said : 

"Has  he  ever  paid  that  money  back?" 
"Long  ago  !    Long  ago,  bress  de  Lawd  !     I^ot 
becase  I  want  de  money,  but  becase  I  want  'im 
to  show  dat  'e's  got  de  Fabian  honor,  good  as 

you." 

Mr.   Fabian  buried  his  face    again    in    his 
hands,   his   heart  pierced  by  a   sharp  pang  of 
jealousy,  because  Ben  and  Jane  had  stood  by 
and  believed  in  the  son  he  had  cast  off ! 
A  moment  later  he  said : 
"Do  you  know  where  ho  is  now  ?" 
"Xo,  suh ;  Missy  ain't  been  yere  lately — dat's 
all  de  way  I  kin  hear.     I  been  a-griebiu'  an' 
griebin' — I'se  ready  to  go  ef  de  good  Lawd  call 
me,  but  I  want" — the  old  man  sobbed — "I  want 
ter  see  Sonny  an'  you  stan'in'  togedder,  right 
yere.     Marse  Ealph,  dat's  w'at  I'se  askin'  de 
Lawd — caint  you  help  me  to  git  de  answer  ?" 

The  old  man  turned  his  fever-bright  eyes  to 
Mr.  Fabian,  then  he  laid  his  hot  hand  on  his 
master's  arm: 

"De  time  is  sho't,  Marse  nalph.  We'll  all  be 
on  de  udder  side  soon,  an'  you  ain'  sholy  will- 
in'  to  go  wid  you'  po'  prodigal  somw'ar  off  yan- 
der,  feedin'  on  de  husks !     Sen'  fuh  'im !  Go 


166  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

fub  'im,  Marse  Ivalph.  You'll  neber  git  no 
peace  o'  min'  tell  yon  do !" 

^fv.  Fabian  knew  it  was  so.  Tbis  conviction 
bad  been  steadily  growing  for  weeks.  God  per- 
mitted old  Ben  to  bring  it  to  the  point  of  action, 
and  be  said,  witb  sobs  in  his  voice: 

"I  will,  Ben  !   God  helping  rae,  I  will !" 

He  rose  from  his  seat.  Ben  was  evidently  ex- 
hausted, and  he  took  the  old  negro's  hand  and 
said : 

"God  bless  you,  Ben !  You  were  truer  to  my 
poor  child  than  I  was;  may  God  forgive  me! 
Is  there  anvthino;  that  I  can  get  for  vou  ?  Any- 
thing  I  can  do  ?" 

"Isiuttin',  Marse  Ealph — nuttin'  but  sen'  fuh 
Sonny !" 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  167 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

AT  EVENTIDE LIGHT  ! 

You  have  watched  the  progress  of  a  day  from 
some  moimtain  height — a  day  of  lowering 
clouds,  perhaps  of  heavy  showers,  but  with  rifts 
in  the  clouds,  and  misty  views  of  far-off  sunlit 
valleys,  that  filled  you  with  hope  of  light  and 
glory  at  the  sunsetting.  Such  a  picture  has 
been  given  in  these  pages  of  Ralph  Fabian's — 
but  at  last  we  are  to  see  the  brightness  and 
beauty  that  is  shed  upon  his  life  by  the  Sun  of 
Righteousness. 

Ralph  had  quite  a  sharp  attack  of  fever,  and 
it  was  fortunate  that  Tim  Barlow  could  sup- 
plement the  doctor's  visits  by  his  tender,  broth- 
erly services,  especially  at  night. 

'"Fabian,"  the  young  missionary  said,  the 
second  day  that  Ralph  had  been  in  bed,  "give 
me  the  address  of  your  father,  and  of  your  sis- 
ter, please." 

He  spoke  in  a  tone  that  indicated  that,  as  a 
matter  of  course,  his  request  would  be  granted, 
and  Ralph,  who  was  finding  it  very  restful  to 
submit  his  own  will  to  another's,  complied  at 


168  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

once;  but  his  face  flushed  and  he  asked: 
''Am  I  so  sick  as  to  make  you  need  them  ?" 
"Oh,  no !"  exclaimed  Barlow,  laughing  cheer- 
ily, '^why,  I  am  just  keeping  you  here  because 
the  doctor  says  that  you  need  rest  more  than 
anything  else.  ISTo,  dear  fellow,  I  want  to  finish 
up  the  work  the  Master  has  given  me  to  do  for 
you.  I  want  to  tell  your  people  of  the  hap- 
penings of  the  last  week,  and  to  send  them  the 
joyful  news  of  your  safety  in  Christ." 

"Oh,  don't,  don't!"  said  Ralph,  anxiously. 
"How  do  you  know  that  I  will  hold  out?  How 
do  you  know  that  I  am  safe  ?" 

"I  know  that  you  are  safe  because  Jesua 
saved  you.  I  know  that  you  will  hold  out  be- 
cause the  Spirit  will  help  you.  ISTow^,  go  to 
sleep  while  I  write  my  letter,"  he  added,  and 
rose  and  moved  away  from  the  bed,  and  Ralph, 
too  tired  to  doubt,  lay  there,  delighted  to  let 
this  strong,  true  friend  that  God  had  raised  up 
for  him,  managing  him  in  every  way. 

"Give  physic  to  the  heart,  ye  who  would  re- 
vive the  body  of  a  broken-spirited  man,"  is  a 
tmth  that  Washington  Irving  has  put  into  the 
mouth  of  one  of  his  characters — and  it  was  cer- 
tainly so  in  Ralph  Fabian's  case. 

If  he  had  been  left  to  himself  after  Barlow 
had  rescued  him,  he  would  doubtless  have  suc- 
cumbed to  fever,  but  the  cheery  presence  of  tlie 
young   missionary,    and   especially   his   taking 


Ealph  Fabiaa''s  Mistakes 


169 


upon   him   to  'WT-ite   to  Mr.    Fabian,   was   the 
physic  that  cured  Ealph. 

The  letter  was  a  model  of  Christian  prudence. 
It  told  simply  the  story  of  Kalph's  rescue,  of 
his  conversion,  with  only  slight  allusion  to  his 
own  part  in  all.  Then,  modestly  but  firmly,  he 
urged  Mr.  Fabian  to  be  reconciled  to  his  son. 
"God  has  forgiven,  I  feel  sure  that  you  will 
follow  His  leading." 

To  Mrs.  Covington  he  wrote  more  at  length, 
told  of  Ralph's  fever  and  suggested  that  if  she 
could  come  to  her  brother  it  would  fit  him  to  go 
home — "which  I  verily  believe  he  hopes  to  do 
before  long."     He  added,  by  way  of  a  post- 
script:   "T  wrote  to  your  father  this  morning." 
Xow,  let  us  go  back  to  Elmhurst.     Mr.  Fa- 
bian was  very  much  upset  by  his  interview  with 
old  Ben.    It  was  as  if  the  whole  structure  of  his 
profession  of  religion  had  collapsed,  and  well 
for  him  that  it  had  done  so  in  time,  for  it  had 
not  been  built  on  the  Rock  of  Love.    The  tender 
relationship  of  God's  fatherhood,  involving  lov- 
ing service,  had  been  overshadowed  by  the  stern 
obedience  of  the  Mosaic  dispensation. 

The  constraining  love  of  Christ,  as  a  motive 
power,  had  been  almost  ignored,  and  all  had 
been  intensified  by  the  inherent  reticence  which 
he  had  so  assiduously  cultivated,  instead  of  up- 
rooting it  as  a  noxious  weed  unworthy  to  grow 
in  the  garden  of  the  Lord ! 

He  saw  now  what  years  of  suffering  his  con- 


170  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

duct  had  entailed,  not  only  on  his  wife  and  chil- 
dren, but  on  himself,  and  on  those  who  had  a 
right  to  look  up  to  him  in  his  capacity  as  an 
officer  of  the  church. 

The  first  thing  he  did  when  he  returned  to 
the  house  was  to  dispatch  a  note  to  the  office, 
telling  that  he  would  not  return  that  afternoon ; 
then  he  sat  down  by  Mrs.  Fabian  and  said,  with 
profound  emotion: 

"Marie,  I've  had  a  very  remarkable  inter- 
view with  Ben,  and" — his  voice  shook  and  the 
tears  began  to  flow — "and  he  has  shown  me  my 
own  heart  as  I  never  expected  to  see  it.  Marie, 
did  you  know  that  when  I  drove  Ralph  away 
by  my  cruel  severity  that  he  took  refuge  with 
Ben  for  a  night  and  day,  and  went  away  sup- 
plied by  them  with  fifty  dollars  until  he  could 
get  work  ?" 

Mrs.  Fabian  answered  tremulously: 

"ISTo;  I  only  knew  that  they  had  sheltered 
him,  but  not  that  they  had  loaned  him  money." 

"]^ow  that  Ben  believes  he  is  dving  his  con- 
stant  cry  it :  *I  want  Sonny !  Send  for  Sonny,'  " 
continued  Mr.  Fabian.  He  told  his  wife  much 
that  Ben  had  said.  "And  now,"  he  added,  I 
have  promised  him,  and  I  am  going  to  write  to 
Ralph." 

"Oh,  Ralph,  my  husband,  thank  God  for 
this!"  cried  Mrs.  Fabian,  throwing  her  arms 
around  him ;  "this  is  God's  answer  at  last  to  my 
many  prayers!" 


Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  171 

"Why  have  you  not  spoken  to  me  of  this, 
Marie?" 

Mrs.  Fabian  bowed  her  head,  hesitated  a  mo- 
ment, then  said,  looking  steadily  into  his  eyes: 

"Do  you  remember  how  you  crushed  all  my 
efforts  to  make  you  see  your  mistake  ?  Oh,  my 
husband,  I  have  been  afraid  to  speak;  do  you 
wonder  ?" 

"May  God  forgive  me,  I  have  sinned !  [Ma- 
rie, kneel  with  me,  and  let  us  ask  that  I  may 
have  strength  given  me  to  be  a  truer  husband 
and  father  henceforth !" 

They  kneeled,  and  the  prayer,  broken  as  it 
was  by  sobs,  was  none  the  less  acceptable. 

"Do  you  know  where  the  boy  is  now?"  he 
asked  gently,  when  they  rose  from  their  knees. 

"Alicia  wrote  that  he  was  in  the  mountains, 
you  know,  but  did  not  say  where." 

The  next  day,  as  a  part  of  God's  remarkable 
providence  concerning  Ralph  Fabian,  came  the 
young  missionary's  letter,  and  that  afternoon 
a  telegram  from  Reginald  Covington  which 
read: 

"Leave  to-night  for  Milton,  iST.  C.  Will  bring 
R.  home  with  me." 

It  was  not  possible  for  Alicia  to  make  the 
trip  to  Comstock's,  as  Mr.  Barlow  had  sug- 
gested, but  she  made  the  children  ready  and 
went  over  to  Elmhurst,  with  a  heart  full  of 
joy  and  gratitude  and  ready  to  help  kill  the 
fatted  calf  for  the  beloved  prodigal. 


172  Balph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

Mr.  Fabian's  letter  to  Ralph  was  characteris- 
tic in  its  brevity,  but  how  much  of  long- pent 
love  and  of  conquered  pride  there  was  to  be 
read  between  the  lines! 

It  was  simply  these  words : 
"My  Dear  Sou: — 

"Come  home  to  your  repentant  and  loving 
father.  "Ralph  Fabian." 

Old  Ben  rallied  when  he  heard  the  good  news 
and  lived  to  realize  his  hope  of  seeing  Mr.  Fa- 
bian and  Ralph  standing  together  by  his  bed. 

By  w^ay  of  answer  to  Mr.  Barlow's  letter,  Mr. 
Covington   had   sent    the    following    letter    to 
Ralph,  which  caused  the  blood  to  throb  healthily 
in  his  veins  again: 
"My  Dear  Brother  Ralph: — 

"It's  "ho  for  the  mountains"  with  me  now. 
I  leave  to-morrow  to  bring  our  wanderer  home ; 
so,  look  out  for  me ! 

"Your  brother, 

"R.  C." 

Ralph  was  lying  dressed  on  his  bed  when  Tim 
Barlow  came  in.  There  was  a  far-away  mourn- 
ful look  in  his  eyes  that  perplexed  his  friend, 
but  only  for  a  moment.  He  was  shrewd  at 
guessing. 

"Is  there  any  one  else  that  ought  to  know  all 
the  good  news  about  you,  Fabian?" 

There  was  a  twinkle  in  his  eye,  and  a  sus- 
picion of  a  smile  playing  about  his  mouth. 

Ralph    colored    deeply,    his    breath    came 


Ealph  Fabian's  !M!istakes  173 

quickly.  He  was  so  confused  that  Tim  Barlow 
leaned  back  in  his  chair  and  laughed  so  heartily 
that  Ralph  joined  him,  though  his  heart  had 
been  sore  enough  a  little  while  before. 

"Ah,  I  thought  so;  I  thought  so!  Dr.  Bar- 
low diagnosed  correctly.  There's  another  wound 
that  is  sore  yet,  eh?  Bat,"  he  added  more  so- 
berlv,  "vou  know  that  it  is  the  hand  of  love  that 
probes,  dear  Fabian.  I  saw  there  was  some- 
thing holding  you  back  from  entire  peace." 

There  was  something  so  tender  and  brotherly 
in  his  manner,  so  much  of  refinement  in  his 
tones,  that,  almost  before  he  knew  it,  Ralph 
was  telling  him  about  Elsie  Moring. 

"If  she  is  what  your  loving  hand  paints  her, 
you  owe  it  to  her  to  write  as  soon  as  you  are 
strong  enough  to  sit  up.  Ah,  Fabian,  nothing 
ever  shakes  the  faith  of  a  woman  in  the  man 
she  loves  but  his  own  hand,"  then  he  raised  his 
finger,  and  said  playfully :  "If  you  don't  write, 
I  will!" 

Ralph  shook  his  head  dubiously  at  first,  but 
so  thoroughly  was  he  under  the  spell  of  Timo- 
thy Barlow^'s  strong,  healthy  judgment,  that  he 
decided  to  save  him  the  trouble,  and  wrote  to 
Elsie  Moring  himself — and  the  letter  was  not 
a  short  one,  either ! 

A  week  later  he  had  turned  his  back  on  Com- 
stock's  and  its  kind-hearted  inmates,  and  though 
he  was  going  home,  he  left  with  regret. 

Mr.  Covington,  who  was  quite  charmed  with 


174  Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

the   place,   told   'Squire   Comstock,   when   they 
were  saying  good-bye : 

"Don't  be  surprised  if  you  see  a  whole  house- 
ful of  us  next  summer!" 

The  parting  between  Ralph  and  the  young 
missionary  took  place  without  witnesses.  The 
bond  between  them  was  necessarily  a  sacred  one 

the  bond  between  the  saved  and  the  saver ! 

Ralph  had  never  had  an  intimate  friend  be- 
fore, excepting  his  sister;  and  this,  which  was 
to  prove  life-long,  was  a  power  for  good  to  him 
and  for  inexpressible  comfort  and  cheer  to  the 
young  mountain  missionary. 

When  they  drew  near  to  Elmhurst  Ralph  was 
greatly  excited,  and  very  nervous,  and  Mr.  Cov- 
ington was  really  anxious  for  awhile.  But  joy 
like  this  does  not  often  kill,  and  when  Mr.  Fa- 
bian opened  his  arms  and  clasped  him  to  his 
heart  the  poor  wanderer  gave  himself  up  to 
the  rest  of  love. 

''My  boy,  forgive  me  and  love  me,  was  ail 
Mr.  Fabian  could  say. 

As  for  Mrs.  Fabian,  her  joy  was  beyond 
Avords;  she  could  only  press  her  child  to  the 
mother-heart,  kissing  him  again  and  again. 

Alicia,  the  same  loving  sister  she  had  always 
been,  was  content  to  \)e  in  the  background,  but 
we  will  forgive  her  if  she  found  satisfaction  in 
the  fact  that  she  had  always  stood  by  Ralph. 

Maum  Jane  came  up  as  soon  as  she  heard 
that  Ralph  had  come,  and  her  expressions  of  de- 


,    Ralph  Fabian's  Mistakes  175 

t 

light  were  the  source  of  great  pleasure  to  Mr. 
Coving-ton. 

"I  wish  I  had  an  old  colored  mammy  to  love 
me!"  he  exclaimed  as  Maum  Jane  kept  patting 
Ralph's  hand  and  muttering,  ''Bress  de  Lawd !" 
and  he  said  it  with  such  an  envious  emphasis 
that  everybody  laughed  and  Mammy  actually 
told  him  she  wished  she  had  been  his  mammy ! 

The  next  thing  to  do  was  to  go  down  to 
Uncle  Ben's,  and  as  Mr.  Fabian  and  Ralph 
walked  in  together  the  old  man  raised  up  in 
bed  and,  after  he  had  welcomed  both  with  tears 
and  smiles,  he  folded  his  hands  and  said: 

''Now,  Law^d,  let  d'y  sarbent  depa-at  in 
peace,  for  'e's  eyes  seen  de  liben'  answer  to 
jDrayer." 

The  old  man  was  very  weak  still,  but  he  lin- 
gered a  few  weeks,  and  then  went  Home  to  re- 
ceive the  crown  laid  up  for  the  faithful. 

We  will  only  add  three  items,  all  of  which 
we  believe  will  interest  those  who  have  fol- 
lowed the  story  of  Ralph  Fabian  with  any  en- 
joyment. 

The  first  is,  that  Ralph  was  taken  into  the 
firm  a  short  time  after  his  return  home,  so  that 
Mr.  Fabian's  old  ambition  was  gratified.  The 
firm  read :  ''Fabian  &  Son." 

The  next  is  that  Ralph  received  a  long  letter 
from  Baltimore,  not  a  great  while  after  his  re- 
turn, to  which  he  saw  fit  to  reply  in  person  be- 
fore Christmas  and,  as  things  looked  after  his 


Kalph  Fabian's  Mistakes 

return,  we  would  infer  that  tliere  will  be  an- 
other daughter  in  the  home  some  day. 

The  third  item  is  that,  as  far  as  the  Fabians 
could  hear.  Burton  Ciscoe  dropped  as  entirely 
out  of  their  lives  as  if  the  sea  had  sAvallowed 
him.  Poor  Kobert  Langston  died  of  typhoid 
fever  the  year  after  Ealph  returned,  and  if  the 
unfortunate  mistake  of  his  college  days  was 
ever  alluded  to,  he  never  knew  it. 

Over  the  mantel  in  Ralph's  room  hangs  a 
richly  decorated  card,  bearing  these  words : 

"And  we  know  that  all  things  work  together 
for  good  to  them  who  love  God." 


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